ex-bohica

Monkey see, monkey do

2011-06-04T18:25:00.004-05:00

I made this for a friend's new baby. I STARTED with Simplicity 2428, but the design puts a zipper from baby's neck to crotch in the front of the romper. Are you kidding? I would not want any baby *I* care about to have a zipper there. They'll get pinched during zip-up and irritated by zipper teeth if they lay on the tummy. No way was I going to put a zipper there. This required a complete redesign of the front, with a placket and snaps (snap tape). Ah, now I feel much better about it. Too bad it took me about 5 hours of sewing, ripping, sewing, ripping, recutting the pieces, sewing, ripping, sewing, for it to work out.

(The light tan color fabric is synthetic suede. It looks and feels like suede, but it's washable.)

The blanket design for Simplicity 2428 called for just a binding tape around the outside edge. I couldn't bring myself to do that. I know from experience that babies/kids like a silky binding, so I used satin blanket binding instead.

The monkey appliques required some precision cutting and sewing, as well as some hand embroidery. They were fun. I like the fact that the ears are left unattached and flap out from the romper and blanket.

Have a happy life, Zach. And may your mommy and daddy sleep again one day!

Neglect

2011-02-27T01:00:00.001-06:00

No excuses. I've been neglectful, dear blog. Must do better.

Tweet tweet birdie case for an iPad

2010-08-21T18:30:00.001-05:00

Tutorial: How to make a craft show banner

2010-08-20T15:55:00.005-05:00

I needed a banner for my booth at craft shows. I designed it to be flexible (sometimes you don't know what the venue will be like and how you'll be able to attach a banner) and easy to pack up without getting all wrinkled up and ugly next time you pull it out.

1. I used 4 sheets of dark brown felt (rectangles 9"x12"). I ironed some pretty sturdy fusible interfacing to the back.

2. I cut the 4 sheets into half-size, yielding 8 letter panels. I only needed 7 of these, one for each letter in my company name: xbohica.

3. I ironed fusible double-sided web to one side of bright pink felt. (Leave the paper on the fusible web for now!)

4. On my computer, using MS Word, I found a font that I liked and printed out each letter (really big!) of xbohica on paper. Then I cut out each of those letters from the paper. This gave me my templates for cutting letters.

4. I traced the letters (from #4 above) on the pink felt. Then I cut out the letters from the pink felt.

5. I removed the paper from the backs of the letters and ironed them onto the 7 brown panels, one letter per panel.

6. I sewed a lime green buttonhole stitch around the edges of each letter.

7. I applied lime green (single fold) bias tape around the edges (sides and bottom) of each of the brown panels.

8. I sewed all of the letter panels onto a long length of (extra wide) lime green bias tape. Make sure you attach the letters in the right order :-)

9. Ta-da. I'm ready to really "represent" at the next craft fair!

A new life for a feed bag

2010-08-14T17:36:00.002-05:00

Well, I guess it's technically a "feedbag bag." I had just enough left from the two feedbags to make Carol a tote that matches the horse groomer's smock.

Horse groomer smock made from horse feed bags

2010-08-14T12:51:00.009-05:00

My colleague at work (you know, that university job that pays the bills) asked me to give this a try. Just as I have a real calling to be a geeky crafter, she has a real calling for horses. Carol and her husband own Andalusians of Texas, in Salado.

I think this is a brilliant idea, but be warned: the plastic is hard and stiff. It's very difficult to work with. Here's a photo gallery of the step-by-step process. I'll report back later after Carol does the beta testing.

TUTORIAL: More tips for assembly-line sewing

2010-08-07T15:08:00.007-05:00

Before Christmas my mom and I made five Hawaiian shirts, each one a different size. Eventually,we were cursing under our breath, realizing we were accidentally trying to fit a size 5 collar on a size 7 shirt or a size 7 sleeve in a size 5 shirt. That many pieces, all in the same fabric, in five different sizes... well, it's easy to get mixed up.

I've already blogged a tutorial on assembly-line sewing, but it only discussed the techniques to use when all items are exactly the same size, regardless of how many different fabrics you may use. But what about when you are making several things, all the same pattern, all the same fabric, but in many different sizes? It can get confusing very quickly.

Here's what I do. Go to the nearest discount store and buy a package of garage sale pricing stickers (any little sticker dots will do). The ones I have, left over from a garage sale a long time ago, are in neon shades.

Today, I'm sewing three little girls' aprons, all in the same fabric. As I separate each piece from the tissue pattern, I stick a dot on the fabric identifying its size. For instance, I'm making sizes 4, 6 and 8. I used pink dots for size 4, orange dots for size 6 and green dots for size 8. This way, you can process each step of construction for all three aprons at once without getting pieces mixed up and without spending any time figuring out which size pieces you have in your hand.

For example, I start this apron by binding the edges of the pockets. Each pocket is marked clearly with a label, so I don't worry about getting them confused (and trying to put a size 8 pocket on a size 6 apron skirt) and am free to bind all six pockets in a chain (saving lots of time and thread!) before moving on to the next step of construction.

By the way, I've tried other marking methods. Post-it notes fall off. Chalk marks come off. Tiny stickers seems to work best for me so far.

Do you have another way you solve this problem? Share your tip in comments!

iPad cover: Perfect intersection of geekery and crafting

2010-07-31T14:58:00.003-05:00

I've been using this iPad cover I made for a couple of weeks now. It's been a beta test to see if I need to make any adjustments before making some more for my etsy shop.

I love it. The only adjustment I think I'll make is to add a little notched opening to the bottom of the screen protector so that the iPad can be plugged in without removing it from the cover.

It's padded with felting in between the layers of fabric. The screen protector is very thin vinyl (such a pain to sew with!) and does not impede touch-screen functionality.

I'm thinking of charging $40 or $45 for this style. Any feedback on style, function or price?

Good relations with the Wookiees, I have.

2010-07-19T12:20:00.006-05:00

Last year, I promised the first five people who responded to a facebook/twitter post a free handcrafted gift from me... just 'cause.

My friend, Oscar, asked for a Star Wars apron.

I could not find suitable Star Wars fabric to make an apron from, but I did find a fabric panel that had Yoda on it.

I made the apron from beige twill and used the Yoda fabric panel for the pocket. Of course, I embroidered Oscar's name on it, as well.

Oscar, may the force be with you!

Some favorite Yoda quotes (from thinkexist.com):

“Good relations with the Wookiees, I have.”

“Yes, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they."

“Happens to every guy sometimes this does”

"Try not. Do or do not, there is no try."

iPad cover. Difficulty factor: No iPad for fitting

2010-05-22T13:52:00.003-05:00

I made an iPad cover. *I* think it's cute and functional. The cover is padded with felting and craft foam between the layers of fabric. It opens all the way up, revealing a vinyl cover/sleeve where the iPad fits in.

I went by measurements from the Apple website and did do one trial fitting at about the 1/2-way point with my friend's iPad. But I wish I had my own to try it now!

Jasmine in bloom

2010-04-26T18:21:00.002-05:00

These balmy 80-degree sunny days have me in summer mode... even though we all know in the heart of Texas summers are over 100 degrees. Days like today take me straight back to the Iowa summers of my childhood.

When I stepped outside to get the mail after I got home from work today I noticed the jasmine. It's loaded down, every tendril weighed with massive amounts of buds. Just a couple of them are open so far.

See how it's grown since I planted it last year?

This summer is going to smell great!

Functional business cards - keepers

2010-04-10T17:28:00.004-05:00

(Click on photos up to two times to enlarge.)

When I say these are "keepers" I mean someone might actually keep this in a purse or pocket and use it for a while.

I'd seen these little handmade matchbook-style notepads on Etsy.com and they're adorable. All of the ones I've seen, though, are stapled at the bottom. Me, I have to sew. So I sewed along the bottom, rather than using staples. The stitching makes it an even more appropriate item for a handmade sewing business.

I will be stamping the inside cover with my company name (xbohica), my etsy shop address (xbohica.etsy.com) and email address (xbohica at gmail dot com).

The outside cover is made from a card stock. The inside pages are made from regular-weight scrapbooking papers as well as plain white printer paper (every other sheet).

What about your business card? How "keepable" is it? How does it highlight what you do? I'd love to see some examples in the comments.

The finished size is about 3"x2.25".

I admit

2010-02-07T20:33:00.002-06:00

I admit that I still haven't done those bound buttonholes.

I've put that down and am working on something with a deadline of Feb. 20. There is an awards banquet that night. It's a black tie optional affair.

So I'm going to make a formal gown out of Vogue 2607. I cut out and made the jacket out of muslin today. Evenings this week I'll need to get to work making that out of the real (sparkly-ish brocade). Then I'll work on the skirt.

After I finish that, I'll get back to those bound buttonholes. I promise.

Fear of...

2010-01-18T20:56:00.002-06:00

...bound buttonholes.

My sewing machine makes beautiful, consistent, finished buttonholes. But only up to 1 inch in size.

The jacket I just finished needs BIG buttons. Bigger than 1 inch. The only kind of buttonhole to do is a bound buttonhole. I am scared to death to try it!

I googled until I found a few different techniques and tried all three on practice materials late this afternoon.

But I'm still not feeling comfortable with this! I brought the fabric for this jacket back from Hilo, Hawaii. I do not want to mess this up!

I need a pep talk.

Here were a couple of the best tutorials I found showing how to make bound buttonholes:

http://www.simplicitysewing.com/help/FAQ/making-a-bound-buttonhole.asp

http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/fcs/FACTSHTS/CT-MMB-175.pdf

I like it so much...

2010-01-09T12:32:00.006-06:00

... that I made it again, but with a little different look.

Skulls and roses

2010-01-01T14:45:00.002-06:00

Devon bought this fabric about a month ago and I told her I'd make her a smock apron after Christmas. Done!

Mele Kalikimaka!

2010-01-01T14:32:00.002-06:00

Finally! I made Mike's shirt from some of the fabric I brought back from Hilo a year and a half ago! I love the bold pattern and put the biggest motifs down the center of the back and collar. Of course, I used the authentic coconut buttons we got there, too.

Merry Christmas, xbohica grandkids

2009-12-27T14:51:00.003-06:00

All sporting their new xbohica creations (left to right): Caille, Connor, Cameron, Christopher.

Petroglyphic terrific

2009-12-27T14:39:00.003-06:00

My handsome grandsons, (left to right) Connor, Cameron, Christopher, wearing the shirts I made from fabric I brought back from Hawaii.

(Dad's got a matching one, too.)

Concentration

2009-12-21T18:30:00.002-06:00

Caille, my 9-year old granddaughter, helped me lay out her dad's Hawaiian shirt. She's concentrating very hard on pinning right now.

Big brother, little brother, baby brother

2009-12-20T21:59:00.009-06:00

You had your doubts, didn't you?

I know you did.

When I blogged about this heavenly fabric warehouse in Hilo, Hawaii that I went to **way** back in April of 2008, I even took a picture of this fabric.

Mom and I worked together all weekend to get these done.

They'll be under the tree for my three grandsons: Chris, Connor and Cameron. Daddy Steve's matching shirt will have to get made over the next day or two.

But for now, it's nice to take a break for a few minutes and admire our handiwork.

I'll post a photo of the men wearing them.

Because there is nothing more appropriate for a man to wear on Christmas day than a Hawaiian shirt.

(By the way, the pattern on the fabric is petroglyphs -- like the ancient etchings on the lava rocks in Hawaii. The buttons are made from coconut shells.)

Just for @zoocat

2009-12-13T15:08:00.004-06:00

My friend, Brad (who I met as zoocat on Twitter), asked me to make an apron in a smaller size. Tiny and cute!

The etsy shop

2009-12-12T12:32:00.003-06:00

I'm finally diving into the etsy shop. If you're not familiar with http://www.etsy.com/, it's where people can buy and sell hand made items. Just perfect for a crafty geek like me.

All the items left from the Baylor craft fair will be listed today! Visit me there: http://www.xbohica.etsy.com/

What people want.

2009-12-02T23:15:00.003-06:00

What people want: coffee sleeves. No kidding. The BEST stocking stuffers at $6 ea or 3 for $15. Going like HOTCAKES (cliches are cliches for a reason, folks).

Reversible.

Machine wash and dry.

I will take it more seriously next year

2009-12-02T23:08:00.003-06:00

I think we are going to sell out of (gorgeous cute fabulous) xbohica stuff before the end of the craft fair tomorrow. I've been sewing for this since August. Wow. I will take it more seriously next year.

We ran to Joann after closing today to buy stuff for baby snuggles. I finished 2 baby snuggles on the Baby Lock Ellure while Devon made 9 more coffee sleeves on the old Elna.

Tomorrow should be a huge day.

Please, miss, may I have a shot of tequila with that limeade?

2009-12-01T16:49:00.002-06:00

Ok, so these ARE brown

2009-11-30T14:00:00.001-06:00

Who says you have to "brown bag" it?

2009-11-30T12:14:00.002-06:00

Finished these lunch bags at about 1:30 this morning.

Super-size my tote bag

2009-11-30T12:12:00.002-06:00

These whoppers will carry just about anything.

More baby snuggling

2009-11-29T16:09:00.003-06:00

Give a baby a snuggle

2009-11-27T17:15:00.005-06:00

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Wish I had a serger. A three-point zig-zag just doesn't finish this fluffy fabric as nicely as I'd like.

But this *is* a fluffy, soft, sweet little wrap.

Wonder twin powers: ACTIVATE! These business cards/price tags are fabulous!

2009-11-26T17:53:00.006-06:00

(Click photos to enlarge.)
I've been doing some recon for weeks on creative ideas for business cards for my xbohica business.

I have also been racking my brain for a couple of months to come up with a solution for tagging the Christmas craft fair merchandise... and tagging it all with care instructions.

Voila! Devon and I putzed around this morning (when I get in a room with my mom or Bri or Devon and sewing machine(s)/craft items, it's like "Wonder Twin Powers: ACTIVATE!" I swear) and ta-da.

I love love love these tags, which double (triple?) as business card, care instructions and price tag (we'll write the price on) and are *so* cute.

We used cardstock weight glitter patterned scrapbooking paper to cut out the base tags with decorative scalloped scissors. Then I printed contact info on a regular paper (cut out to be about the size of a business card). Then I sewed the "business card" onto the tag with a big, fat zigzag stitch in purple thread.

Note: I was too afraid to sew paper on my tricked-out Baby Lock Ellure, so I sewed these on an old 40 year-old Elna that used to be my mom's.

Basket full o' sleeves

2009-11-26T17:47:00.002-06:00

Wow. Devon was so industrious! This basket is full of coffee sleeves. I had only about 15 in there yesterday. She had to leave this afternoon because she's got to be at work at 2:00am (curse you, retail!). So I have some more to sew up, but she's already cut them out and paired them, so they are ready to go. Assembly-line sewing at it's best.

Sewing machines are really the power tools of the crafty, you know?

2009-11-25T20:07:00.005-06:00

Devon is here and she brought her BabyLock with her. We did fabric shopping all day long and started power sewing tonight. We have a lot of work to do before the craft fair next week.

Her BabyLock tension went psycho and we could not figure out how to fix it. So I pulled the old (40 years old) Elna out of the closet.

Sewing machines are really the power tools of the crafty, you know?

I'm supposed to be ironing some coffee sleeves right now. Don't tell her I'm posting this to my blog instead, ok?
(Note on 12/1/09: I know. I still have a bare concrete floor in my dining room. I hope Santa and his elves are working on that.)

Six aprons before Boston

2009-11-14T22:10:00.003-06:00

The sixth is an exact duplicate of the one with pears and apples that has lime green trim.

Apron pockets: What do you put in them?

2009-11-14T11:31:00.003-06:00

I'm still working on an assembly-line of six aprons that I started last weekend. As I was working on the pockets, I got rather introspective. I wonder what these pockets will be holding in the future?

Flour-dusted hands?

The corner of a towel, shoved in for hand wiping?

A watch or bracelet, removed to keep it out of the dough?

An elastic band, kept handy to put the hair back when cooking?

A wire tool for pot throwing?

A paintbrush?

What do you put in your apron pockets?

Outta this world: Ready for crafting or cooking

2009-11-08T00:10:00.001-06:00

(click to enlarge)

Cap for a kiddo

2009-11-04T22:42:00.001-06:00

Barefoot modeling gig

2009-10-31T10:58:00.004-05:00

I asked my granddaughter, Caille (aka C2), to model one of the little girls' aprons I made for the craft fair. She's standing on my front porch in front of the jasmine.

I didn't realize she was barefoot until I had uploaded the photo!

(Click to enlarge photo.)

Signs of progress

2009-10-25T13:16:00.002-05:00

Taking the carpet and padding out was much easier than I expected.

Taking the tack-strip up off the concrete floor is a pain in the ass.

Back to it.

Lunch and juicy-fruit-stripe laptop sleeves

2009-10-24T15:18:00.008-05:00

After working a lot of long hours this last few days for the paying job ;-) I came home expecting to crash into a nap today. But I just couldn't let myself fall asleep. I haven't sewn for a few days and the yearning was overwhelming.

So, I just finished up a few more laptop sleeves and a lunch tote. These were all in process from last weekend.

I carefully matched up all the stripes across front, back and flap pieces of the laptop sleeves, trying to achieve a juicy-fruit-stripe impact.

The next project has nothing to do with sewing. I'm going to put away all the sewing things, move all the furniture out of the room and rip up the carpeting from the floor.

Wish me luck!

LOL laptop sleeves, FTW!

2009-10-17T16:47:00.005-05:00

Devon spotted this upholstery fabric when we were shopping in Austin a couple of weeks ago. She convinced me it would be perfect for laptop sleeves. I'm glad she talked me into it. I like the end result.

By the way, what piece of furniture would one upholster with this fabric? A home office chair?

This project marked my first time using craft foam. No kidding, craft foam. Think vacation bible school craft foam. It's sandwiched between the lining and bag, with another layer of fleece in there, too.

Kitchen couture

2009-10-12T18:26:00.003-05:00

More: sunshine assembly line

2009-10-10T18:54:00.005-05:00

Just as they've "popped off" (I wish!) the sewing machine.

Basking in the sunshine of an assembly line of zippered bags

2009-10-10T13:51:00.003-05:00

I finished 6 tote/shopping bags with this fabric last weekend. Today I'm making zippered cosmetic bags with the same materials. It's been raining for days here in Central Texas, but I've been spending my day basking in the sunshine of this fabric.

Today's color palette: sunshine with a chance of tangerine and lime

2009-10-04T15:32:00.002-05:00

Hot Patterns: Style is fab, directions aren't

2009-09-27T15:08:00.008-05:00

I almost always gift everything I make to someone else. Making an item with my own hands is something I can do for my family and friends that others don't (or can't). It sounds sappy, but I do use sewing skills to show my love.

I made myself something. This *very rarely* happens, especially when it comes to apparel. I almost never sew clothing for myself. It came down to simple need. I am taking water aerobics classes. When I leave the pool, I want to be able to just throw something on over the suit and go home. But I haven't found any swimsuit coverups that I like (not to mention, there are none in the stores around here at this time of year).

As I was browsing patterns online recently, I saw the Wong-Singh-Jones collection at Hot Patterns and fell in love with the style. I ordered pattern #1086.

The pattern came in the mail in a huge, fat, heavy envelope that barely fit into my mailbox. The pattern envelope itself is bigger than the standard manufacturers' (Simplicity or McCalls, for example). The pattern is printed on very heavy paper stock. I traced off the pieces I needed onto tissue paper.

I found the pattern confusing, but I'm used to the conventional Simplicity/McCalls/Vogue type of patterns. Some pattern pieces had to be pieced together -- halves of the paper pattern pieces were printed in two spots and had to be joined to make the pattern piece. None of the pattern pieces were lettered or numbered for reference.

The pattern doesn't provide finished measurements of the garment, which turned fitting into a shot in the dark. The pattern also doesn't specify what width the fabric should be. Their suggested layout would not have worked on 45" wide material.

I wanted to make the tunic, but 5" longer, so I used 5 yards of 45" fabric. I had less than 1/2 yard left (but note that I did not make my trim from the fabric). Again, it's good that I got plenty of material, because apparently their layouts and fabric yardages are not based on 45" fabric.

My first challenge was figuring out the directions for the sleeve pleats. There are very simplistic drawings that don't make it clear how the 28 pleat insert pieces fit with the 26 lower pleat underlay pieces. I finally just made a guess and started sewing. Once the pleated piece was complete, it had no relation to the length of the sleeve. I just hacked off the end to match up. I know, it sounds... so... wrong... all those pretty pleats made from all those damn pieces and I just hacked off the few at the end!

My first real screwup was attaching the front/back neckband to the top. The pattern directions simply have simplistic line drawings of pieces with a "+" (plus) sign between them. Figure it out for yourself, bub. So I put it on incorrectly (like a facing), cursing the whole time because it didn't really match well. I even trimmed and finished the seams before I realized my mistake. So I ripped all that out - not just the seams but also the seam finish (I use a three-point zig zag to finish seams and you do not want to rip that out if you can help it, believe me!).

From that point on, things went more smoothly, except when I put on the trim, I should have paid more attention to the diagram (my bad). I sewed the trim on incorrectly. So I removed all the trim and put it on the right way. I'm glad I went to the trouble, because the horizontal line of the trim at the sleave (along the pleat insert) really is a good (flattering) line.

Even though I had problems with the Hot Patterns directions, I will probably try them again, because they have unique styles that I appreciate. I've got my eye on the #1008 kimono wrap dress for a possible future project.

It makes me happy just to look at them

2009-09-19T14:59:00.005-05:00

What little girl wouldn't want to help a parent (or grandparent) in the kitchen when she can wear one of these?

Just finished several of these cute flowery aprons in various girls sizes. It makes me happy just to look at them.

Here is a great cookie recipe my granddaughter I used to make cookies last Christmas. Have fun spending quality time with your little one!

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

By the way, I made all the bias tape by hand. I had forgotten how long that process takes, but I like the results.

My podcast is featured on the home page of iTunes U today!

2009-09-16T13:45:00.002-05:00

I had to get a screen shot to save for posterity.

The podcast is part of my job at Baylor. It is produced by our local NPR-affiliated radio station, KWBU.

Peaceful waves in a theme of blue: with and without zips

2009-09-12T12:42:00.006-05:00

As usual, click on photos for enlarged view.

I love this fabric. Just finished these big oversized tote/shopping bags and several makeup bags (or pouches) with zippers. More inventory for the craft fair and my soon-to-be-opened Etsy shop.

Your friendly bag lady

2009-08-30T14:29:00.014-05:00

As always, click on the photos to enlarge. I just finished these today. I want to keep them all for myself, but they are part of the inventory I'm making for a campus craft fair in a couple of months.

I even made a little lunch tote with a pocket.

All bags bear the xbohica brand, embroidered on the inside lining.

Storm photos from my 'hood

2009-08-23T18:37:00.015-05:00

Click to enlarge - it's difficult to see what's there otherwise.

(The last photo is from our back door. The others are from the 'hood across Old Temple from us.)

I was tweeting during this crazy little storm that went through my neighborhood. Here's the tweets, peeps.

---- Crazy storm cell... Downdraft winds in excess of 60mph. At least 2 big sections of our fence flew!

---- S WACO/HEWITT Trampoline from 1 neighbor's backyard flew... and maybe sticking out of the windshield of another neighbor's car!

---- Our subdiv: one house struck by litning and roof has huge hole. A man had heart attack during storm. TV crews in the 'hood.

---- So... worse things that the trampoline in the car windshield across the street!

---- S WACO/HEWITT Plus, live wire down and sparking. Another house on fire. Older houses across Old Temple lost roofs.

---- My husband is the dramatic type. He was flapping his wings: "The sky is falling!" I was: "Oh poo." He was kinda right.

TUTORIAL: The art of assembly line sewing

2009-08-22T13:04:00.014-05:00

I meant to post an item about this when I was working on the newest coffee sleeves, but I forgot.

When making several similar items all at the same time, use some simple strategies to maximize your time and effort.

Even though I'm not a cottage industry seamstress, I have experience in constructing multiples of many things. My granddaughter (Caille, aka "C2"), my mom and I make new Christmas stockings for everyone in the family each year on an assembly line system. I have been making cloth shopping bags by the dozen to give away to my friends and use myself. I make matching shirts for my grandsons.

When my Mom is visiting we have more than one machine out at a time. But assembly line sewing can be done by an individual, too.

Your system should start in the fabric store (or your personal stash). Buy/choose enough materials to make several copies of your project. The more complimentary/similar hues, the faster the assembly process with be in the end.

Wash and dry all fabrics (don't mix light/dark colors, of course). If you skip the wash/dry, you'll end up with a finished item (whatever you're making) that looks amateurish. New fabrics have sizing on them. Most of what I use is cotton and it shrinks. Always wash/dry the fabric first.

Now, cut all the fabrics at once. If you are using a pattern, make some tracing copies of the pieces if necessary. If using a rotary cutter and mat, cutting everything at once helps me keep my thoughts organized. I make fewer silly mistakes. (We all make silly mistakes!)

After I cut all of the fabrics, I cut any required notches and make all of the markings I need for darts, trims, etc. Again, doing all the marking at once keeps my head in the game and I make fewer mistakes.

Figure out what thread color you'll use on each. It sounds trivial, but the fewer times you have to change the thread on your machine, the more efficient you're going to be. Arrange your fabric in order -- a stack that will allow you to go from one item to the next with the fewest thread changes.

While sewing, I do a set of actions on each set of materials, then move on to the next set. For instance, sew the side seams on all of them, then take them all to the ironing board to press at once, then sew all the shoulder seams, then take them all to the ironing board at once. Sew all the straps at the same time, do all the embroidery at the same time, etc. Take the time to give it some up-front thought. You want to maximize the assembly line actions, while minimizing thread changes and minimizing the number of times you have to change any machine attachments (like an embroidery bed) or feet.

Sometimes my mind tells me "it's taking so long to get a bag done." If I make things one at a time, I get more immediate satisfaction with *a* finished item. But really, I'm doing it so much faster. And when it's done, there are *lots* of them done.

Happy sewing!

The jasmine isn't blooming yet

2009-08-16T19:52:00.002-05:00

The jasmine isn't blooming yet. I planted it a few months ago. It's starting to climb the trellis nicely.

(Seals and Crofts: Summer Breeze)

Summer breeze, makes me feel fine
Blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine
Blowing through the jasmine in my mind

Coffee doesn't have arms, but here are more sleeves

2009-08-16T17:34:00.006-05:00

Working on building (sewing) an inventory of my creations to sell at a craft fair before Christmas. Here are the latest 10 (um, correction: 11) coffee sleeves.

Yes, you do see Elvis. And the Miami Dolphin. And several Hawaiian prints left over from our trip to Hilo a year and a half ago.

Again, these are all made from fabric scraps. Time, plus batting, velcro and thread are my outlay.

At 50, all warranties expire: a bio-rhythmic low of cosmic proportion

2009-08-08T15:26:00.008-05:00

I feel guilty for neglecting the blog for so long, but I had good cause. You see, this has been the summer of hell. I think I may have reached a bio-rhythmic low of cosmic proportion.

A couple of months of terrible stomach aches and nausea came to a crisis right after Memorial Day weekend. While getting an ultrasound that showed my gallbladder full of stones and more blocking my bile duct, the nurse sprang another piece of news on me: she could also see a cyst on my ovary (which happens to be my only remaining female part).

After waiting (in constant writhing pain) for a few weeks to get an appointment with a surgeon, I ended up going in the very next morning for procedure #1: having the stones removed from the bile duct and having opening of the bile duct entering the stomach snipped larger. This is supposed to be an out-patient procedure.

Things went to hell.

My bile duct is mis-shapen. It's narrow and curly-queued. It took the doctor 3 hours longer than it was supposed to take to be able to finish the procedure.

At which time I woke up in full-blown pancreatitis. For those who are curious, this sensation can only be described as -- being impaled with a huge stake -- straight through the stomach and out the middle of the back. It is more excruciating than either of my childbirth experiences. I. Do. Not. Kid. You.

I was admitted to the hospital. They started giving me dilaudid. I cannot deal with that drug. I started wretching. This made the pancreatitis worse. Which got me more dilaudid. Which made me wretch uncontrollably. Which... You can see the spiral of hell here, right? This is what the next 4 days of my life consisted of. For a couple of those days they shoved a suction tube up my nose, down to my stomach, to try to keep the wretching down. Stupid nurses never could make the suction part actually work, though, no matter how many times we asked why it didn't seem to be working.

By the way, I have my daddy's veins. They are too narrow for the needles. They submerge. They roll. They explode. They collapse. So on top of the "spiral of hell" brought on by the dilaudid and pancreatitis, I also had to deal with the bloody bruised reality of being a human voodoo doll. I can deal with a few sticks in a row, but when it's 5 or 6 or 7 sticks, all with a needle DIGGING around, trying to get into the vein, I just lose it. Finally, they left orders that only the nursing supervisor or some hotshot in the ER was allowed to even try. Even then, it took an average of 4 sticks per success. Unfortunately, because my vein would collapse - sometimes a couple of times in a day - I'd have to go through it all over again.

So, 4 days later the pancreatitis finally eased. This is when the surgeon removed my gall bladder. By this time I was practically begging, "Just take it away! Take it out now!"

In the meantime, my back became covered in what looked like chicken pox. My feet and hands swelled up. Must have been an allergic reaction to something. Not pleasant.

When I awoke from this surgery, my voice was very hoarse and my throat was sore. That was almost 7 weeks ago. It has not gotten better. I still sound really hoarse and my throat hurts all the time. Went to an ENT specialist. Got scoped (ugh!) with a video camera and he let me watch the footage. My left vocal cord is paralyzed. He says it's not common, but it does happen occasionally. The breathing tube damaged my vocal cord nerve. We still don't know if it's permanent. I have to get needles stuck into the nerve in a couple of weeks to determine that.

Some of you may be aware that I have a weekly radio segment on our local NPR station that is also available as a podcast. This is part of my job at Baylor. (It's not a huge part of my job, but I've been doing it for several years and truly enjoy it.) I am not sure how this voice thing is going to impact my job. I'm sick about it... well, yes, literally I guess.

Thank goodness, the cyst isn't urgent and will probably wait a few months.

And here's the cymbal-crash-ending to this story. The week I was in the hospital Mike stayed with me. He called his boss every day and was told "No problem. You should be there with your wife." But a day or two after he returned to work, he was let go. The result? Mike unemployed. The consequences? We are living together for the first time in 6 years. I know, weird, right? We've been married 15 years and the last 6 we've lived in separate cities because of his job. As you can imagine, there is some serious adjustment going on in this household.

Turning 50 sucks, people.

Google BOHICA

2009-06-06T23:09:00.007-05:00

I'm very happy that I come up as the #2 result when you google BOHICA (today I do, anyway).

Those years of corporate prostitution have paid off (it wasn't sexual prostitution... or so I justify it to myself).

So, googling BOHICA is by far the number one way people get to my blog from an organic search.

Here's what's still weird. The #2 way people get to my site from organic search is by googling "vomit girl" (in quotes).

OK, I know, I blog about vomit, puke and COV (Chain of Vomit) a lot. I even have a tag for it! But what really bothers me? Why the hell are people searching for the term "vomit girl?"

A workshop for Twitter beginners

2009-06-06T10:31:00.008-05:00

Do you live in the Central Texas area?

Have you heard about Twitter but aren’t sure how to use it?

Signed up to Twitter but don’t know what to do next… or why?

Want to find out how Twitter can help your non-profit or small business?

Here’s the workshop for you. This is a hands-on, step-by-step workshop, led by three of the most influential tweeters in Central Texas. Caryn Brown, Jay Ehret and C.J. Jackson, members of the Waco Social Media Club, will help you make sense of how and why to use Twitter to make an impact for your organization.

Saturday, June 20, 2009
1:00-3:00pm
Cashion Bldg, Room 404
Hankamer School of Business
Baylor University Campus

Skulls on her coffee (and her Christmas stocking)

2009-06-05T20:49:00.011-05:00

What better way to use those small scraps that I've been saving? Coffee sleeves. Sort of recycled, because it's just left-over scraps. Green, because you won't be using those paper/cardboard sleeves they give you at the coffee shop.

Plus, you can make a statement.

My daughter, Devon (27), wanted a sleeve made from the scraps of her Christmas stocking. Guess which one that is? Yes, the skulls. LOL!

Every time I go to my local mermaid coffee shop and order my regular tall triple-shot Americano, a conversation starts about my coffee sleeve.

I'm thinking of sewing up an inventory of these sleeves, plus shopping bags and maybe even a couple of aprons, and getting a table at the annual craft fair.

Think anyone would buy this stuff? How much? Please comment below!

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that these are insulated with batting and have a velcro closure, which can be adjusted for different cup sizes.

What color should I paint my front door?

2009-05-19T19:12:00.005-05:00

I have a yearning for a more creative entry. I'd like to make a statement with the front door color. What color do you think I should paint it?

Please comment with your ideas! Be specific.

UPDATE: I should have told you that I'm thinking of bright yellow or olive green? But I'm not sure about that and I'm open to your ideas.

Coffee sleeve from scraps

2009-05-17T01:22:00.004-05:00

Warning: this is an experiment. When I make things from scratch with no pattern, it really is an experiment. This coffee sleeve is made from some scraps I had in my scrap box. It's batted for insulation goodness and, of course, bears the embroidered xbohica. Please pretend that the "model glass" is a paper cup of java from your nearest Starbucks or other favorite coffee house.

Feedback, please? I think the xbohica is too big. What do you think?

No pearls or high-heel pumps required

2009-05-16T14:18:00.016-05:00

This is the first of the hand made items I promised to five people before the end of 2009. This vintage-style sissy-girl (-: apron is one that "Leave it to Beaver's" mom, June Cleaver, would have been proud to wear pearls and high-heeled pumps with. It's for my friend Juli, aka @DelilahSparkle.

I've made several aprons from this pattern before. It's easy to assemble and sew and always comes out cute.

Of course, my "xbohica" brand is embroidered on the pocket.

Made from Simplicity pattern #4282.

Green fuzz and ants

2009-05-15T22:11:00.006-05:00

There were five kids in my family. I have two brothers and two sisters. My dad worked full time. My mom worked full time. My parents had the “economy” of their marriage figured out perfectly, meaning that they had life/family chores divided. Mom did all the cooking, sewing and most child-rearing. Dad handled finances and could fix or build anything.

I understand why my mother wasn’t in the mood to cook when she came home from work to us, her brood of hungry raucous children. I am totally empathic to her plight. I was a working single mom of two and I’m not ashamed to admit that often, I felt completely overwhelmed when I got home from work and had to feed just a couple of hungry children.

My mom is the best seamstress I’ve ever seen. She can knit, crochet, quilt, pitch a tent, coax an ornery burp from any baby and has made the most beautiful wedding dresses for young brides I’ve ever seen. She’s awesome. She is gifted and wonderful. I’m not judging my mom. But let’s just say that cooking was not always the thing that she was passionate about.

My mom was one of those saintly women who volunteers for the Girl Scouts. She was heavily involved in Girl Scout camp every summer and led a Girl Scout troop. One summer, our troop was camping. We had brought just enough food for each night. There was no extra food. So when I opened the pot by the campfire to stir our dinner (a mixture of macaroni, ground beef and tomato sauce), I was freaked out. Bits of the hamburger were wiggling, moving. I looked more closely.

“Mom!!!” I wailed, aghast. Gross! She came over and looked down at the pot. She locked eyes with me.

“Hush,” she said in an intense whisper, with a hard look. “Hush!” (No one in my family ever said the words “shut up.”)

“But there’s…”

“I said hush!”

She took the wooden spoon from my hand and stirred the pot. Then she put the lid back on and walked away toward the group of girls doing a crafting project.

I looked at her back walking away. I looked at the pot. I knew we were going to eat those ants for dinner. That night, around the campfire, all my friends kept asking me why I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t say a word.

Many times when Mom got home from a long day working in the office at Montgomery Ward, you could see the fatigue in her face. She’d walk in the kitchen, open the refrigerator door and then start pulling things out. On some weeknights the things that were pulled out of the refrigerator were leftovers. Bowls and plates with food from last night. Or last week. Or sometime we couldn’t remember.

If the leftover food had a little moldy spot, there were no worries. Simply scrape off the green fuzzy spots and it’s as good as new. At least that’s what Mom said. Throw it in a pan on the stove and warm it up. It’s dinner. Eat that or make yourself a peanut butter sandwich.

I ate a lot of peanut butter sandwiches. Or I’d wait until everyone else in the family had finished and then I would throw my food in the trash bin. I was very careful to do it artfully, so as not to have my sin discovered. The correct technique is simple and effective: reach into the bin and lift the top layers of trash up, scrape your food off into the bin and then simply replace the trash that was on the top. Ta-da. No one was the wiser. And I could do this all very quietly.

When I was 16 I had access to my Dad’s old car and I had my driver’s license. Almost every night I ate all by myself at the Taco Time fast-food restaurant. I told Mom I had to do that because I had to eat before theatre rehearsal. It was kind of true, too.

And I still won’t eat leftovers.

I do not want green fuzz and ants.

Don’t stir them in. Don’t scrape them out.
Don’t make me eat them. I will pout.
I do not want them after school. I do not want them in a pool.
I do not want them with some salt. I will not eat them; you must halt.
I do not want green fuzz and ants.
I will not eat them, no. No chance!

Marketing and communications in the business school

2009-05-02T00:36:00.009-05:00

BizEd ran a feature about Marketing the business school. My colleagues, Yvonne Martin-Kidd at Vanderbilt, Margaret Andrews at Mind and Hand, Gary McKillips at Georgia State and me are quoted extensively.

Free hand made item from me in 2009

2009-04-30T23:29:00.005-05:00

It started on facebook (http://profile.to/c.j.jackson) and spilled over into twitter (http://twitter.com/JacksonCJ1).

I offered to make something for the first five people who responded.

Winners are:
-Franci
- Juli (aka @DelilahSparkle)
- Megan
- Oscar
- Kara (aka @kealex02)

Each winner (LOLing as I write that word) may choose from one of these:
- pair of cloth shopping bags
- apron
- baby wrap
- dog coat

I'll be posting the photos. And I'll be expecting them to send me photos of these items in use!

These gifts will be completed and given before the end of 2009.

Twits, you are on notice!

2009-04-28T17:48:00.007-05:00

I love Twitter. Anyone who knows me knows I am totally hooked on the micro-blogging phenom. I started using twitter about 17 months ago and it is now, well, part of my life.

Other people have caught the twitter bug, too. The social media platform has gone from traffic of about 2 million users to more than 15 million users in a matter of 3 months.

Somehow, some twits out there have found me and decided to follow me on twitter. Gradually, that number of followers has started to grow. I have varied interests and so do they. We converse about the things we like. Some like sewing. Some like PBS. Some like NPR. Some like marketing. Some like social media. Some live in Waco and/or work for Baylor. Some love Iowa... like me. I have conversations with them about all of those things, because we share these as interests.

Let me be clear. I am not a big deal in the twitterverse. I don't have tens of thousands of followers. I am not one of the "twiteratti." Again, I am simply interested in having conversations with people who share my interests. I am interested in sharing useful information, ideas, solutions, and having some fun with it along the way.

So, for all you twitter users who are "gaming the system," I would like to put you on notice:

If you have the word CASH or MONEY in your name, I will not follow you. (Updated note: unless that's your real name, of course!)

If you tweet quote after quote after quote from famous (or semi-famous) people, I will not follow you. Have you no original thoughts to add to this conversation?

If you are into multi-level-marketing (MLM), I will not follow you. I do not want to be in your downline, I promise.

If you tweet about getting 1000s of followers in a day (or week or whatever), I will not follow you.

If you tweet that you are getting twitter followers automatically, I will not follow you.

For everyone else: I look forward to joining in that big, messy, tweety conversation with you -- that conversation that is never farther from my reach than a computer or my Blackberry. Thanks for being there, peeps.

Theory: hot chubbies with cheese are recession-proof

2009-04-25T12:56:00.006-05:00

Selling hot chubbies with cheese might be the right line of business to be in during these challenging economic times.

I don't go to West, Texas often. West is the name of the city. It's about a half hour north of Waco, about an hour south of Dallas, on I-35. When Mike lived in Dallas, I drove back and forth from Waco often, stopping in West on the way. Now that my family lives in San Antonio and Austin, I don't go north on I-35 from Waco very often. But when I do, the Czech Stop beckons. And I stop.

Kolache (ko-lah-chee): a pastry that may be filled with any number of things, including sausage, cheese, jalapenos, cream cheese, fruit.

I stopped there yesterday on my way back from a work day in Dallas. The traffic was brisk. The line was longer than usual, snaking along the glass pastry cases, around the racks of fresh bread and jars of homemade candies, and almost out the door of the little place. People ordering "hot chubbies with cheese," blueberry kolaches, peach kolaches, cream cheese kolaches, jalapeno kolaches, getting cups of coffee after gassing up their cars outside at the gas pumps.

My theory: kolaches are recession-proof.

I bought a dozen "breakfast sausage" kolaches (filled with breakfast sausage and cheese). I brought them home, wrapped them individually in wax paper, then put them in a big plastic zipper bag and into the freezer. They have to last... until the next time I get there.

A sweet escape: kolaches

The town of West, Texas: "Home of the Official Kolache of the Texas Legislature"

Which tarot card are you?

2009-04-19T18:11:00.002-05:00

You are The Lovers

Motive, power, and action, arising from Inspiration and Impulse.

The Lovers represents intuition and inspiration. Very often a choice needs to be made.

Originally, this card was called just LOVE. And that's actually more apt than "Lovers." Love follows in this sequence of growth and maturity. And, coming after the Emperor, who is about control, it is a radical change in perspective. LOVE is a force that makes you choose and decide for reasons you often can't understand; it makes you surrender control to a higher power. And that is what this card is all about. Finding something or someone who is so much a part of yourself, so perfectly attuned to you and you to them, that you cannot, dare not resist. This card indicates that the you have or will come across a person, career, challenge or thing that you will fall in love with. You will know instinctively that you must have this, even if it means diverging from your chosen path. No matter the difficulties, without it you will never be complete.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

History, free widgets, contests - U.S. EPA site for Earth Day

2009-04-19T13:53:00.006-05:00

I googled Earth Day widgets and found the official United States Environmental Protection Agency website.

It's chock-full of great stuff!

Want a free Earth Day widget for your blog or website? There are two available: A free environmental tips widget and a free Earth Day countdown widget.

For you photography enthusiasts, there is an Earth Day Photo Project:

Has your community organization cleaned up a stream? Have you enjoyed a day in the woods? Has a wild animal ever sparked your imagination? If you've caught anything like those moments in a photo, share it with us!

Each year, for Earth Day, we conduct a photo project. We want to see how you would show EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment.

And for those of you who are video enthusiasts, this one's for you: The Earth Day Video Project

Throughout the month of April, in honor of Earth Day on April 22, we’ll feature videos you create. Your video can be instructional, inspirational, or testimonial. We’re looking for videos that call others to action.

Your video might be funny or serious, entertaining or educational, quirky or enlightening. We don’t expect you to enter television quality videos, we want you to share your stories.

There are "Green Tips" podcasts (looks like they are posting one per day) and an Earth Day Take Home Kit.

Earth Day is April 22. Got plans?

Choose 100% renewable energy - easy to do

2009-04-15T14:07:00.004-05:00

I've been using only 100% renewable energy for my household for more than 5 years. You probably can, too.

Yes, it's true that all energy providers use the same grid to deliver your power, but you can control where that energy comes from.

This is not an advertisement. I highly recommend Green Mountain Energy. I'm a happy, long-time customer. Switch now. You'll feel better about yourself! :)

Earth Day radio commentary

2009-04-15T13:25:00.003-05:00

I've been on the radio more than once a week for over 3 years - doing a regular segment for the business school where I work. It's part of my job. So it's lost all luster for me.

Not so for this radio commentary, which is absolutely a personal endeavor written and read straight from my heart. I'm psyched about this being on air.

Download the MP3 file to listen to the Earth Day radio commentary.

It will run on the central Texas NPR station and hopefully, on the NPR station affiliate in Ames, Iowa, too.

The written version is posted here.

Interactive Austin '09: Austin Rocks Social Media

2009-04-07T14:42:00.005-05:00

I'll be presenting a Twitter case study at Interactive Austin '09. Austin is quickly emerging as the world's social media center.

Hope you can join us there. The hashtag is #IA09 on Twitter.

AUSTIN, Texas -- "How Social Media Can Enhance Enterprise Profitability," the second annual conference of Interactive Austin 2009, is being held to educate companies on the benefits of social media while establishing Austin's reputation as a social media center.

Supporting organizations including the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Austin, the Austin Technology Council, the Austin Interactive Marketing Association, Bootstrap Austin and door64 are encouraging local companies to utilize the event to better understand how Web 2.0 practices and social media can impact business growth.

Business District Magazine's one-day conference is designed to bring the use of social web technologies down-to-earth. The event hosts compelling dialogues and case studies from prestigious speakers and panelists who are the thought leaders in the field of digital marketing and social media.

"Austin has a vibrant social media network," states Steve Golab, president and CEO of FG SQUARED, the title sponsor and advocate of the event, "that makes it a natural place for sustainable economic development. Organizations like Leadership Austin, Bootstrap Austin and Interactive Austin foresee that our city has the potential to become an epicenter for social media business." The theme of this year's conference is to explore how social media expands business activities online, helping companies to survive and thrive during the current economic times. Companies will attend the event to learn of the benefits of social media, the uses of Web 2.0 tools and the applications of digital media.

"Business District Magazine focuses on connecting Austin companies and professionals with pragmatic business development concepts," comments Jason Myers, editor of the magazine. "Our event will educate businesses on how social media marketing can be integrated into the corporate culture to improve profitability." The April 27th event will be held at the Norris Conference Center and will include keynote speakers Dion Hinchcliffe, Founder of Hinchcliffe and Co. and Web 2.0 University, followed by Sam Lawrence, CMO of Jive, and then by William Hurley (known as whurley), Chief Architect, BMC Software and Chairman of the Open Management Consortium.

Hinchcliffe will open the conference with "Reinventing Business with Web 2.0." Lawrence will speak on "... Twenty Practical Ways to Use Social Software to Drive Profitability" and then whurley will open the afternoon session with his keynote, "Future Technology Trends and their Impact on Business and Culture." FG SQUARED is the title sponsor and Accolades PR, Live Oak 360, Social Web Strategies and Visual Innovations are contributing sponsors of this year's event.

For sponsorships & conference details: http://budurl.com/IASMC Online newsroom or reporters: http://budurl.com/IA09BWEONNews About Business District Magazine Business District Magazine is published bimonthly to a circulation of 10,000 readers throughout Central Texas and provides content and editorial that is relevant to the local business community, showcases innovative business models and fosters the area's entrepreneurial spirit. Business District also publishes an email newsletter three times per week to the Central Texas Tech community (www.bdtechdaily.com), and hosts several conferences every year that promote area business growth, including the Central Texas Entrepreneur Funding Symposium, and The Austin Open4Business onference.
Subscriptions to the magazine, newsletters and conference information can be found at www.abdmag.com.

Little liberals in training

2009-03-16T17:49:00.007-05:00

The Earth Day demonstration I blogged about yesterday was not the first demonstration staged by those of us at Harlan Elementary School in Ames, Iowa.

We had practice. And freedom to express ourselves. Life was good.

Earlier that year, it came to our attention that our teacher, Ms. Dashner, was leaving the teaching profession. We adored Ms. Dashner (as we adored all of the teachers in that fabulous, open, experimental school) and were dismayed that she would be forced to leave school just to have a baby. It didn't seem fair to us.

This also just coincidentally occurred a few years after my only younger sibling was born, which may have contributed to my feelings of abandonment by Ms. Dashner.

I have three older siblings (Terri, Kathy and Nick). I was born years after their family clique had been established. As a result, I felt my childhood was a combination of being an outsider, observing a family unit, yet at the same time, being practically treated as if I were an only child. Conflicted and probably psycho in some way, I know.

It was easy for me to disappear completely in any situation. But when I wanted it, I got lots of attention. Then my younger brother, Pat, came along when I was in second grade. The "olders" (what I call the older siblings) had been hoping we were getting a dog, but alas, it was the announcement of a new baby on the way. It was probably at that time that my eyes turned green. I was jealous. I didn't fit into the olders clique. And I wasn't the baby of the family anymore, either.

Don't get me wrong. I'm totally over this :). I was a kid and I'm just sharing my feelings as a kid. I love my siblings - both the olders and the youngster brother. I only tell you this to explain my 10/11 year old state of mind in 1970.

In my mind, it was terribly unfair that Ms. Dashner was leaving us, her adoring students, to have a baby. I mean, the total injustice of it!

How did students handle being aggrieved in 1969/1970? Our class immediately started planning a "sit in" demonstration, of course. We all made signs. We informed the principal of the time and date our demonstration would occur.

We went to recess that afternoon, toting our signs. When the bell rang to signal the end of recess, we all came together in a clump and sat on the playground with our signs. Quiet, but excited. Feeling rather rebellious. Feeling powerful.

We sat there for the rest of the afternoon. No one interfered. No one tried to talk us down. No one tried to enforce rules. They just let us... be.

A couple of hours later the buses came. The principal and Ms. Dashner came out to us with a garbage bin and didn't say a single word. One by one, we got up and threw our signs in the bin. Ms. Dashner had tears in her eyes as she hugged each of us in turn. We got on our buses and went home.

The next Monday we were presented with our long-term substitute teacher, Ms. Anne Pier. (See blog post from yesterday about Earth Day.)

We were a bunch of little liberals in training... testing the limits of free speech in the small world we lived in. I felt closure. I felt accomplishment. I felt respected.

I remember the very first Earth Day. Ever.

2009-03-16T01:19:00.012-05:00

I remember the very first Earth Day. Ever. I was in 5th grade. My teacher’s name was Anne Pier.

I went to a public, experimental, elementary school. It was free, liberal, and exhilarating. We worked at our own speed, with individualized attention from teachers who wanted to be part of this new way of teaching (which, unfortunately, does not exist in any place I know of anymore).

Before coming to Ames, Iowa, Mrs. Pier had taught school to children in immigrant farm worker camps in California. She told us about those children many times. Girls with no dolls. Boys with no bikes. Moms and Dads doing back-breaking work in the fields while the crops could be harvested.

I adored Anne Pier then and still do now.

Mrs. Pier was an inspiring force. She gave us the freedom to organize and take action. For months, we planned for the first Earth Day the planet would experience. We learned about littering. We studied about how air and water pollution occurs and what the consequences are to plants, animals and human life. We learned that the health and life of this Earth is our responsibility.

Yes, we knew all of this in 1970! Erin Brockovich was a year younger than we were. This was before Al Gore started presenting his slide show and before his movie “An Inconvenient Truth” was produced. We knew these things when we were in 5th grade, before it was cool and hip to talk about pollution and global climate change.

April 22, 1970 was a day full of activity. As soon as the bus dropped us at school, we hiked to the arboretum and picked up trash. We fished garbage out of the stream. We gathered litter from the ground.

Keep in mind that we had lived the first 10 years of our lives in the 1960s – think Woodstock, Black Panthers, Watts riots, women’s lib, Viet Nam, the Apollo program… counter culture – so we knew the appropriate action for almost every situation that felt unjust… a demonstration.

We made huge signs and waved them in the air. We marched. We yelled. We were covered by local television. My friend and classmate, Lisa Paulsen, read our prepared statement on camera. We pleaded for adults to save the environment for us, their children – the future.

We felt our endeavors were very successful. But now that I’m a grandmother, I wonder.
Did anyone really listen to the children that day?

Let’s clean up this planet and protect its future for our children. And for our grandchildren.

Let's continue to defend the Earth. Please, remember Earth Day.

Note, did some rewriting and reposted 4/9/09. Audio version is posted here.

What is your signature karaoke song?

2009-02-08T00:57:00.001-06:00

Do you have a signature karaoke song? Tell me!

Mine is "I feel the earth move" by Carole King

i also do "Will you love me tomorrow?" (Carole King)

and "I can't make you love me" (Bonnie Raitt).

Thank you. Thank you very much...

#haikuthursday

2009-02-08T00:53:00.001-06:00

Silly talking head / YouTube not conversation / it is just one way

Grounded Capricorn / wills her feet to leave the earth / wants to shirk sometimes

Dog and butterfly / never really witnessed that / just an old Heart song

Bird sits by window / predator feline spies prey / furry tail twitches

In honor of #haikuthursday (head start)

2009-02-04T23:26:00.003-06:00

Gravity heavy
Obligations weigh her down
Anchored but dreams still

Don't dis my haiku
I try my best to write it
Could be more inspired

(Premature #haikuthursday)

Follow me: http://twitter.com/jacksoncj1

25 random facts about me

2009-01-20T20:35:00.003-06:00

I'd like to know more about you. Write 25 random facts about you in the comments.
-CJ

1. I *really* *love* my job and hope that doesn’t change, because if you hate your job, the rest of your life is hard to enjoy.

2. For about 15 years, I had a job I *really* *hated*. That’s how I know.

3. I have 4 grandchildren, also known as the 4 Cs. Christopher, Caille, Connor and Cameron.

4. I’m a cat person. I have one cat, Cricket.

5. I also have a dog, Captain. He doesn’t know he’s a dog, so it’s ok. He’s a tiny 8-lb fluffy white Maltese and was the mascot for the McLennan County Obama campaign.

6. I have to listen to podcasts on my iPod at night to fall asleep.

7. I used to be a voracious reader until I got my iPod.

8. When I was a kid, there was only one other kid in my class who ran more slowly than me. He was developmentally disabled. I haven’t gotten any faster.

9. I have been married more times than you think.

10. Mike and I have been together for 17 years.

11. It took me 9 years to get my BA from Iowa State, because I was a single mom in college and had to work 3 jobs (concurrently) while in school.

12. I hate talking on the phone. To anyone. Nothing personal.

13. I cry freely while watching some commercials.

14. I started sewing when I was a wee little thing, about 5 years old. Some weekends I don’t even leave the house. I sew from early morning until late into the night. Many times, I have stayed up all night sewing.

15. I love to play card games and board games.

16. I have lived in Ames, Iowa; Wichita, Kansas; Chicago, Illinois; Dayton, Ohio; Cape Coral (Fort Myers), Florida; Atlanta, Georgia and Hewitt, Texas.

17. My favorite locations were Chicago and Fort Myers.

18. I *love* salt water fishing. I don’t eat fish. Ever.

19. I went to an experimental elementary school: Harlan Elementary in Ames, Iowa. All students worked at their own pace with individual attention from the best teachers in the nation. I learned to love learning at that school.

20. I am a complete addict to National Public Radio (NPR).

21. I hate mingling at social occasions and making small talk with strangers... even though I’m a PR person.

22. My best friends are my daughters (Bri is 28, Devon is 26). I’m not just saying that. It’s absolutely true.

23. In high school I was a “drama freak” (the other categories were “jock” and “nerd”). I started hanging out with the freak crowd when I was a junior. We snuck out and skipped classes by sneaking through the theatre stage control room exit. I know, you’re wondering where that “love of learning” went.

24. I played the lead in my high school musical my junior year. It was called “Of Thee I Sing.” I was the beauty queen (it was a long time ago, people) who got jilted by the President of the United States of America.

25. I read tarot. (Don’t judge me, people.)

12th night, bags, bachelor and biting babies: an epiphany (of sorts)

2009-01-06T22:46:00.011-06:00

Went to Robbie and Franci's for Twelfth Night (or Epiphany). We also watched the season premier of Bachelor and shot some pix of their xbohica shopping bags.

Robbie flew in from a New Orleans photo shoot late. He brought a "King Cake" with him. It's like some gargantuan-size glazed donut. Except the glaze is purple and green. Hidden somewhere inside is a PLASTIC BABY (technically, they served the baby "on the side" and Franci stuck it in the cake).

_Bitin' the baby_

Just call me "queen." Uh-huh.

"You might be wondering, "Why on earth would a plastic baby be inside of a cake?" Well, the baking of King Cakes is a tradition in New Orleans that begins on King's Day, at the start of the Mardi Gras season. A tiny baby, just like the ones you see here, is baked into the cake. The person whose piece of cake contains the baby furnishes the King Cake for the next party (which are usually held once a week on Sundays until Fat Tuesday.) However, when celebrating Mardi Gras out of town, most people regard the person who 'got the baby' as the King or Queen of the party being held." http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigras/kc_buy.php

Men: Would you use these?

2009-01-04T20:26:00.005-06:00

The manly version of the original xbohica bags, I call these the special "y-chromosome" edition.

As always, the xbohica name is embroidered on the inside lining.

So, the question is, would a man use these? Please respond with your comments below.

Two tops from one Simplicity envelope

2009-01-03T16:31:00.004-06:00

Made one of these with my mom's help a little while back. I hated working with that fabric and was ready to throw the entire thing in the trash. My mom, who was visiting, patiently got a few problem spots to work right. The fabric seemed like a great idea on the bolt, but it's a little bright! I think I've only worn it once.

The turquiose/brown number is something I made one day this week. I like it, but again, I wish I did a better job of "seeing" what the garment will look like when I'm standing in the fabric store.

...meh.

Sumptuous little thing

2009-01-03T14:43:00.010-06:00

I finally made a bag for my tarot cards. My deck is New Palladini, so I chose fabrics that remind me of an Italian style.

The outside of the bag is a crushed navy velvet. The lining is the reddish and gold brocade you see in the background.

It's sumptuous!

Turn the drudgery of grocery shopping into a swinging, fashionable event!

2008-12-17T18:50:00.002-06:00

Turn the drudgery of grocery shopping into a swinging, fashionable event! Irene and Kristin model original xbohica shopping bags, including matching coupon holders. The baggers at H-E-B are going to swoon when these gals go through the checkout!

Tat shows love of sewing, but e-e-yewww

2008-09-26T18:20:00.004-05:00

Still politicking, and therefore distracted from the blog, but ran across this today and thought I'd share. Wow. This person LIKES SEWING.

By the way. I have zero tats. I can't imagine any reason I would ever get one.

I'm so busted: INFIDELITY!

2008-08-26T22:58:00.007-05:00

Dear precious ex-bohica blog,

All the evenings and weekends we spent together are precious to me. And you are precious to me still. But I must tell you why you have been so long neglected.

You probably already suspected this. After all, there were so many telltale signs of my infidelity. The late nights out. The weekends that passed without so much as a stitch being sewn, let alone blogged about. You know I've been hanging out with a new crowd of friends.

It's true. I confess. I have been cheating on you, my love. My evenings and weekends (and lunch hours) have been spent in dedication to another.

I promise that this is a temporary fling. Just a fleeting affair. It will only last a few months. Then I'll toss this bright flame aside and return to you, my precious blog.

I have only this chance, lasting only a little while longer, to show my passion for universal healthcare, peace, veteran's benefits, environmental sanity, quality education, equal pay for equal work and a healthy middle class. I have only a short time to act upon this passion. And action is the *only way* to show my passion. It takes more than pillow talk. I must go all the way.

After November 4, I will come back to you, my dear. I will return with no guilt, no regrets and no explanations. And I know you will be there waiting for me.

Until then my love,

CJ

www.barackobama.com

The Next President? Wha...?

2008-07-29T22:51:00.000-05:00

The Hawaiian dress, live model

2008-07-16T19:39:00.001-05:00

Skeevie vs. kitch in Las Vegas: Advice from a long-distance wife

2008-07-10T21:30:00.020-05:00

I'm a long-distance wife. My husband, Mike, lives in Las Vegas and I live in Waco. This means that I've been to Las Vegas several times, but not as a tourist. On many trips, we never even go to the strip or enter a casino. There are many other things to do in Vegas.

Here are my picks.

Breakfast spot

The best place for fantastic breakfast (and spotting B-list celebrities from VH1, MTV, etc.) is The Cracked Egg http://www.thecrackedegglv.com/. The place Mike goes, where he always sees the b-list celebs, is the Rainbow Blvd. location.

The "sin city skillets" are enormous. And enormously delicious. They do not skimp on anything. I have never been able to (nor should I ever) come even close to being able to finish one of these huge skillets.

With most breakfasts, you get a choice of toast or coffee cake.

Casino/Resort

Red Rock Casino/Resort/Spa http://www.redrocklasvegas.com/index.php. It’s modern, hip, and brand new. It is NOT on the strip. Red Rock is very chic, but also is family/kid friendly.

ALL of this is at the Red Rock:

The largest luxury bowling center in LV http://www.redrocklasvegas.com/entertainment/bowling.php. And they do mean luxury. We have a blast there.

If there are children, the best childcare http://www.redrocklasvegas.com/entertainment/kids_quest.php. Kid's Quest is like a dream come true for kids, whatever age group or gender. Not only is there a

A specially-designed floor-to-ceiling climbing maze and play structure consisting of up to 35 challenging activities includes tunnels, slides, ramps, stairs, climbing nets, periscopes, air hops, bumper bags, talking tubes and other activities allowing children to crawl, climb, bounce, hop, tumble and slide in the comfort and safety of a professionally supervised, secure environment.

But also a full stage with costumes and karaoke, electric guitars, video game stations, a full section of nothing but dress-up and make-up stations, a Barbie area, and probably a bunch of other stuff I'm forgetting. Also, there is a snack bar, where the kids can get meals or candy and drinks (whatever parents have approved). We took the grandkids there one evening so the adults could go to the casino. Every day afterward they asked several times if they could go back!

Prices are very reasonable, as well. I highly recommend it, and so do my grandkids!

16-theatre Cinema complex http://www.redrocklasvegas.com/entertainment/regal_cinemas.php, to catch a movie, if that's what you're in the mood for.

They also have a magnificent spa.

And the Red Rock is the most luxurious place to stay! The rooms are giant and have spectacular views of the mountains, and of course, of Red Rock Canyon.

The casino host is Winston Morgan. He's a fantastic guy that Mike has become acquainted with over the last couple of years.

Celebrity hangout

From what I hear, The Palms http://www.palms.com/ is where celebrities hang out at the night club. I have never been there. I’m not a night club person, nor am I a celebrity (I know, you thought I was).

Shows

Favorite shows I’ve seen:

Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre at Planet Hollywood - http://www.comedypet.com/. This is a delightful show. We went for the kids, but the adults enjoyed it just as much. Popovich rescues cats and dogs from animal shelters and trains them for his show. It's a pretty intimate theatre and did I say, it's delightful? It's delightful.

Gordie Brown at the Venetian – hilarious! http://www.gordiebrown.com/

La Reve at the Wynne – spectacular, over the top, beautiful. https://boxoffice.wynnlasvegas.com/shows_info.html

Kitsch

Bonnie Springs Old West Nevada http://www.bonniesprings.com/ is a “wild west town,” complete with gunfights, bank robberies and hangings! We had a blast with the kids there. On weekends, they get deputized by the sheriff and join the posse to help catch the bad guy. Very old: this is no Disneyworld.

Neon Museum (and boneyard) http://www.neonmuseum.org/. I haven’t been to this yet, but plan to see it on my next trip.

ElDorado Mine http://www.eldoradocanyonminetours.com/. This is a real mine that is being restored by the family that owns it. Also famous as a movie location. You actually go into the mine -- it's dark, sometimes you're walking on planks above a 50-foot crevasse. But it really is cool. And they also tell you all about the movie connections, etc.

Other stuff for kids

Circus Circus has an amusement park with rides galore.

Oh, yeah, and gambling

Word of advice – if you are going to gamble, decide exactly how much money you are going to LOSE before you get there. Do NOT spend any more than that. Do NOT assume that you will win, ever. They don’t build those spectacular casinos by giving away all the money (I know it's cliche, but that doesn't mean it isn't true).

Craps is pretty exciting, but can be confusing and moves fast, so unless you really know how to play, I suggest you watch for a while first and ask the table crew to explain things.

I like to play Let it Ride. Simple to learn (just sit down and ask the dealer to teach you how to play).

I also like to play Blackjack (best at a table with a single deck, rather than multiple decks). Just play by standard guidelines (see chart here http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/how-to-play-blackjack1.htm) and you can make your money last quite a while.

Other stuff

Go hiking in Red Rock Canyon. There are several well-marked trails. Each one clearly indicates how long it is and the level of difficulty. Take plenty of water. The canyon is lovely, with all the shades of the earth and rocks and desert.

And, I shouldn't forget, the best costume shop is the Williams Costume Company at 1226 South 3rd St downtown. You never know when you might need a costume shop in Las Vegas.

On the strip, see the fountain show at the Bellagio. Skip the (Treasure Island) TI Sirens, it not only lame, it is also piggishly sexist. Walk through the Wynne to see the hand-blown glass ceiling art and other spectacles.

As for downtown, I think it’s pretty skeevie. Lots of deadbeats, lots of drunkards and lots of beggars. People may try to talk you into going downtown to see the Freemont Street Experience. Believe me when I tell you that it’s not that great. If you must go, be careful with your valuables and stay in a group. It is definitely the seedy side of Vegas. Last year a guy in a slot machine place tried to beat me up. He was drunk off his *@# at 2:00 in the afternoon and thought I was trying to steal his slot machine. Luckily, he was, as I said, drunk off his keester and I moved a lot faster than he did. Last time I was there, we got out of the car and were greeted by a guy vomiting. As soon as he was done, he asked us for money. That’s not my idea of a holiday!

Safe travels!

UPDATE: Mike left Las Vegas for a new job in San Antonio the last day of 2008. We are still long-distance, but at least live in the same time zone and even the same state.

Notional devotional

2008-07-09T20:36:00.006-05:00

How do you keep organized when you go shopping for notions? You're sewing from stash, so you've got the fabric. You've pulled one of the patterns you got months ago but never got around to acting upon your good intentions.

All you need is notions: zippers, hem tape, thread, buttons... to make the project.

Here's one way that seems to work for me.

I don't like to take the whole pattern to the store. I'm always afraid it might be confusing for store staff as to who owns it, you know? I don't need any extra drama in my life with mistaken shoplifting charges!

So, I go online to the pattern websites and print out the one-page (front and back) photo/diagram and info sheet. On each sheet, I tape a swatch of fabric I'm using for the project. I also make notes on the sheet to indicate which version I'm making and then make a list of all the notions I'll need to complete the project.

When I'm at the store with the sheets, I can easily determine what I need and match it to the appropriate fabric sample. I can also double check pattern specifications if any questions arise at the store while I'm shopping.

What are your favorite organization tips for buying project notions?

(As always, click on photo to enlarge.)

Maui wowee

2008-07-06T19:09:00.008-05:00

OK, I told you I'd let you see what I'm sewing from the fabric I got in Hawaii, didn't I?

A dress for by daughter, Bri: Maui wowee!

I took my time with this one. It would have only taken a couple of hours if I had cared about time. I cut it out and started on it late last night and finished it after church today.

UPDATE: By the way, this is only two Hawaiian fabric projects down, 7 or 8 to go.

Summer retro

2008-07-06T16:33:00.011-05:00

My daughter, Bri, picked out a Butterick "Retro" pattern from 1947. It's Butterick 5209.

We tried it out with $1/yd fabric from Walmart.

I had to make some adjustments to the bodice. I added 3" of elastic (just zig-zagged on the stretched elastic) along the inside edge of the dress in front of the ~~sleeve~~ front of the armhole area (it gaped pretty bad).

I didn't like making this dress. It seemed like the assembly was more difficult than it had to be. I guess the instructions are from 1947, too?

Please don't give me a lecture about how I should read throught the instructions before I start. I rarely do. I just jump right in.

Also, this is a tight midriff. Not much ease. Make sure to measure carefully and adjust as necessary. I added a little bit.

After all, a summery dress should be comfortable on a hot day in San Antonio, Texas... especially while you are running around after my four grandchildren (otherwise known as the 4 Cs).

I know, she doesn't look like she's had 4 children, does she?!

An Ode to Mr. Big in 9E

2008-06-25T14:42:00.012-05:00

Note to readers: Laguardia to Houston is a three and a half hour flight.

Standing in the aisle of the aircraft, someone farther down the line trying to make a 34-inch long bag fit into a 31-inch overhead bin, while the rest of us behind stand patiently, not making eye contact, laden with carry-ons. As I waited, I counted the rows, scoping out my spot. 6… 7… 8… 9. There it is. My little seat by the window, 9F, waiting for me.

A small, middle-aged Asian woman on the aisle. A large man in the middle seat next to mine. I give them the news they knew was coming, I need them to move so I can get to the window seat. They unbuckle their belts and move into the aisle to open a way for me.

I slide into my seat, getting my iPod and a magazine out of my tote before stowing it under the seat.

Mr. Big in 9E sat back down. He elbowed me hard a couple of times as he was settling in and buckling up.

The flight attendant made the safety announcements, when all passengers concentrate especially hard on their magazines/books so they don’t seem uncool, and we were off.

Mr. Big in 9E had a wide stance, so our thighs were touching most of the trip. But what bothered me more was his wing span. There would be no “arm rest-ling” with this man. Mr. Big in 9E made no effort to fit within his space. His upper arm and elbow were in my ribs and stomach for the entire duration of the trip.

The proximity is why I couldn’t help but see Mr. Big in 9E’s reading materials.

Mr. Big in 9E had a huge white envelope in the seat pocket in front of him. From it, he removed a thick ream of paper, bound with a big metal clip. It was a one-sided photocopy of a book: “How to Handle Bio Fuels.”

“Hmm,” I thought. “Mr. Big in 9E is a green guy, a lover of the earth. Nice.”

Mr. Big in 9E reached into the front pocket of his button-up shirt and brought out a template. Circles, triangles, squares, all in increasing mm sizes. He used the template as a straight edge, underlining passages in the photocopied book.

I started contemplating copyrights. Then I started wondering why someone who was green, who cared for the earth, would have used what looked like an entire ream of paper to do a one-sided photocopy of a book.

He got through the ream quickly, and replaced it in the envelope. I was able to take a nice deep breath of air as he leaned forward, removing his giant arm and elbow from my ribs.

As I was taking that breath, he fished out another piece of reading material, a small pamphlet, from the envelope.

Ugh! He leaned back into his seat, his beefy arm and elbow coming right back into my stomach and ribs. I wondered if the Asian woman on his other side was getting the same treatment.

The cover on the pamphlet said “How to Load Cartridges.”

“Oh, is Mr. Big in 9E a printer repair guy?” I wondered to myself. Then I thought “… what do bio fuel and printer cartridges have in common?” Mr. Big in 9E was multi-faceted. A complex man. Hmmm.

I closed my eyes and tried to be small – not an easy feat for me. I tried to think about the podcast I was listening to on the iPod and forget about the big arm and elbow that had me pinned into 9F.

When I opened my eyes a few minutes later, I glimpsed at Mr. Big’s book.

At the top of the page was a drawing of a missle-shaped object. Then a few paragraphs. Then a couple of photos. The photos were black and white. I squinted a little bit. A man, holding something, squatted down by… what was that? A man, holding a huge gun, squatted over a lion.

The photo underneath was a different man, holding a different huge gun, his foot on top of his kill, a leopard.

Holy crappity! Mr. Big in 9E was not a printer repair guy. He was a big game hunter! Mr. Big in 9E likes guns and killing things! And he is still WAY in MY personal space… elbow and upper arm right up against me. Like he isn’t even aware that’s me, not a seat cushion, that he’s resting on.

Not that I am so surprised by that. I think my friend Polly is the one I first heard put it into words: once a woman hits middle age, she becomes invisible. I started disappearing around my 40th birthday. By the age of 45, I had become completely transparent, blending in and becoming invisible in any environment. When I’m in public, no one knows I exist. I guess that’s why I figured he was treating me like a sofa pillow.

An Ode to Mr. Big in 9E

Who are you, Mr. Big in 9E, with your wide stance and beefy elbow wings spread,
Holding me down in 9F as you read your tree-killing book about keeping bio-healthy gas guzzlers fed?

Who are you, Mr. Big in 9E, who makes weapons more lethal, and celebrates exotic animal homocide,
the suggestion of yellow mustache on your lip, a non-printer-fixing arm on my side?

Who are you, Mr. Big in 9E? You are an enigma to me.

I've lost that chillin' feelin'

2008-06-15T00:18:00.003-05:00

Refrigerator das kaput. Dang it.

I noticed it after I got off an hour on the treadmill. I wanted ice. But when I jabbed my glass at the ice dispenser, I noticed it was leaking, badly. There was water running down the fridge and a big puddle had formed on the floor.

Thank goodness we have a small fridge in the laundry room.

I spent my evening throwing thawed, dripping disgusting items from my freezer into the garbage (the garbage won't be picked up for another 6 days, dang it)... and moving anything still save-able from the kitchen fridge to the laundry room fridge.

In every disaster there is an opportunity, yes?

I took my opportunity to throw out a bunch o' stuff from my kitchen fridge that I really should have thrown out already.

Macadamia nuts, cops, dead hippie

2008-06-12T21:53:00.011-05:00

TWITTERS:

--Stopped at the Mauna Loa orchard/factory. 2500 acres of macadamia trees. about 22 hours ago from txt

--Richardson Ocean Park near Hilo: kids in surf can't resist that gigantic turtle. about 20 hours ago from txt

--Reeds Bay Park near Hilo: body of old man wahed up on beach at least 9 police cars on scene. about 20 hours ago from txt

We toured the Mauna Loa orchard and factory. Not much to see other than the gift shop, because the factory wasn't operating that day. But it was still fun. Drive through acres and acres of macadamia nut trees to get to the visitor buildings. Again, this is only a few miles from our home base, Wild Orchid House.

On our way to the airport, we stopped at a few of the beach parks in Hilo.

The "beach" is black lava rocks. The "sand" is ground up lava rocks. It hurts my bare feet. It's rough and coarse. Yes, I know I'm using the "" liberally. I'm trying to convey that the reality of what was there does not meet my schemata. It didn't fit with my brain's definitions.

We drove into the last beach park, Reeds Bay Park. 9 police cruisers were parked there in a clump.

"What's going on?" says Mike.

"Ah, I don't think we need to know," I said.

"I want to know what's going on."

"Mike, drive out. Just drive by and drive out."

"Baby doll, I want to know what's going on," kind of short-tempered now.

"Mike, please, just drive out. Just leave. It can't be good."

Mike steers STRAIGHT TOWARD a policeman who is interviewing some people. The officer is holding a clip board. Mike pulls right up beside (MY SIDE OF THE CAR, DAMMIT!), and Mike rolls down MY window and yells over me through my window "Officer, is there a problem here?"

OMG. Did he just say that? Did he just do that? Can I melt into my seat? Can I become invisible?

The officer takes a half-step toward my window. Can't see his eyes behind the shades. Steel face.

He leans in to my window (me, doing my wish-I-was-invisible trick) and says to Mike "Depends, sir. How long have you been in the park?"

This has turned a bad corner.

"Oh we're just leaving," says jovial Mike. He must be talking about the fact that we are on our way to the airport to leave the island, but that is NOT what it sounds like to shades-wearing steel-face clip-board-holding officer.

"No! That's not what he means," I blurt out. "We JUST DROVE IN to the park. He means we are leaving the island today.... I mean... we're on our way to the airport... I mean... we've been here on vacation and its our last day... we fly out today... that's what he meant. We just drove in to the park!!!!"

I see a tiny little lift at the corner of the policeman's mouth.

"How long have you been at the park?" he asks again.

"Less than a minute. We just drove in and saw all the police cars and were curious," I said, feeling embarrassed at my silly breakdown a moment before.

"Well, ok, because there's a dead body here, washed up on shore. I wouldn't want to think you folks were involved in that in any way. I'm just interviewing witnesses," he says, the corner of his mouth up a little more. "Are you witnesses?"

"No! We just drove in!" Mike said.

"OK, then move along now."

We drove past the body. Man. Wearing raggedy shorts. Leathery brown shins. Head covered in a bright print beach towel. Dreadlocks hanging out beyond the towel.

Was it one of the Hilo hippies who greeted us our first day on the big island with bongo drums and uninhibited dancing on the sidewalk?

We were quiet on the short trip to the airport. It was time to say good bye.

Eggs, wood, and history

2008-06-05T19:56:00.012-05:00

TWITTERs:
--Last morning in Hawaii :-( gotta pack. 01:38 PM April 20, 2008 from txt

--I hate packing... Especially at the END of the trip, packing to come home. 03:12 PM April 20, 2008 from txt

--Purchased a beautiful hand carved bowl of koa wood, crafted by Dan DeLuz. about 23 hours ago from txt

A few days before (I think it was the morning before we left for the other side of the island to go fishing), we had stopped at the "Koa Shop Kaffee" to have breakfast. It's just a few miles down from our home base, the Wild Orchid House.

We sat down in the small restaurant and I immediately pointed something out to Mike. The tables and chairs were hand made. I'm not kidding. There were dove-tail joints in the wood. The tables and chairs were a work of art, obviously crafted with great skill and love. I've never seen anything like that in a restaurant.

We ordered our breakfast. Two women (I think maybe mom and daughter) were working the restaurant.

While we were waiting for our food, we spied some shelves in the corner. On them were wooden objects. Mike went over first (he's more uninhibited that me). He started picking up the wooden items to look at them. He called me over.

"Look at these, baby doll," (yes, he really says that, shut up). "Come over here and look at these. These things are beautiful!"

I got up and walked over. The items on the shelves were wooden bowls and wooden carvings. Unbelievable skill exhibited in these items. Prices were pretty high.

A guy sitting at the next table, eating his eggs, said, "You like those?"

We both looked at him -- greying hair, heavy eyes, lots of lines on his face from sun and smiles.

"Yeah, these are beautiful," Mike said.

"I made 'em," the guy grunted between bites.

Mike and I glanced at each other. Sorta cool. Ok.

Mike launched into a coversation (again, for those of you who don't know him well, this is what the man does) with the egg-eating guy. "You made these? How do you do it? Is this native wood? Do you do it with machines? How long have you been doing this?"

The guy introduced himself: Dan DeLuz. Invited us to go to his little retail shop behind the restaurant to see his other work.

We smiled, shook his hand, told him we were so happy to have met him, and left.

So, when we were in Waiamea or Kona or someplace on a different part of the island later that day, we were in a high-end tourist shop. Pricey stuff everywhere. In unison, we spy a big display behind glass of hand-carved wooden bowls and artwork. We both stepped toward it. The big sign:

AUTHENTIC DAN DELUZ

We shared a look. We just met this guy at breakfast!

I've since done some research on the man.

Did you know that the U.S. took over Hawaii... I mean like invasion? It was a sovereign land with its own monarchy and government, friendly to Europe and the U.S. In the early 1900's (or 19-teens), at the same time the U.S. was herding native Americans onto reservations, it (we) was overtaking Hawaii. The U.S. kept the princess imprisoned in her bedroom for years. It's quite a sad story.

In the process of the U.S. domination, the native population of Hawaii was almost decimated. There were few native Hawaiians left on the islands. Their culture and skills and art were also endangered. From Dan DeLuz's site:

He virtually single-handedly brought the craft into the latter half of the 20th Century... Largely self-taught, he has in turn, taught most of the younger generation of Hawaii's bowl-turners. Passing on his skills, wisdom and knowledge gathered over the years. The techniques he has developed is masterful and results in bowls which will become cherished family heirlooms.

We had met Dan DeLuz. He's a big deal, people.

So, on this, our last day on the island, we made our way to the home-shop of Dan DeLuz, behind his wife's restaurant, to see his work.

We purchased a small wooden bowl. It is made from a single piece of native koa wood, including its lid, smooth, with heavy grain exposed. It sits on our mantle.

"Chain of vomit" (COV): background info that's good to know

2008-06-04T20:04:00.007-05:00

- COV -

That's what our family calls it. It's that reflex event where, when one witnesses the puking of another, one also pukes one's guts out. And someone else sees that person puke and that person reflexively barfs, and on and on.

It's the CHAIN OF VOMIT.

When Chrispy (also referred to as "C1" on this blog) was staying with me last summer, he attended an adventure camp. At the camp, the kids learned some fun camp songs. They also made some up.

Chrispy and I made up our own song, explaining the COV phenomenon.

Chain of vomit,
coming on.
Chain of vomit,
feeling it strong.

Spewing from your throat I see
Your lunch time sandwich of balogne.

Chain of vomit,
coming on.
Chain of vomit,
feeling it strong.

Coming from your nose I've seen
What looks just like a big green bean.

Chain of vomit,
coming on.
Chain of vomit,
feeling it strong.

I'm feeling a little green, you know
I think my stomach is about to blow!

Chain of vomit,
coming on.
Chain of vomit,
feeling it strong.

It rises in your gut so strong
You cannot keep your breakfast down for long.

Chain of vomit,
coming on.
Chain of vomit,
feeling it strong.

Reprise of vomit girl - she strikes again!!!!

2008-06-04T19:31:00.006-05:00

TWITTER: FREAKY: girl who vomited over my shoulder this am walked into restaurant tonight- RUN AWAY!!! 12:27 AM April 20, 2008 from web

After a long day of hiking up and down waterfalls, we stop in a a downtown Hilo restaurant to have a cocktail and pick up dinner to go. It's our last night together for who knows how long. The plan is to take dinner back to Wild Orchid House and have a quiet evening.

Sitting at the bar, sipping a glass of wine, soaking up the atmosphere and feeling very sated, I hear a voice. A female voice. It sounds a little familiar.

"What soups do you have tonight?" she says.

I turn my head to see who it is.

VOMIT GIRL! It's VOMIT GIRL!!

The very same girl that greeted me at Starbucks that morning with a perfect arc of puke.

Thankfully, we had our boxed dinners already and were just signing the check. We ran for the sanctuary of Wild Orchid House.

I will do you a favor and not include any photos with this posting.

Can you tell it's raining if you're under a waterfall?

2008-06-04T18:48:00.015-05:00

TWITTERs:

--- Heading out to see some waterfalls. 09:08 PM April 19, 2008 from txt

-- Akaka falls: WOW! 10:13 PM April 19, 2008 from txt

Akaka falls is the tallest accessible waterfall in Hawaii. It was raining very hard, so it's misty-looking in this photo. Some nice hiking down-down-down and up-up-up to see this spectacle.

We're still very close to our home base, The Wild Orchid House.

-- Rainbow falls: giant cave under, lava pools on top. Wonderous. 11:01 PM April 19, 2008 from txt

Here are your hokey snapshots for the day. Mike's hand isn't turned quite right, but you get the idea.

It continued to rain all day. I guess that's to be expected sometimes in a rain forest.

The cave behind the waterfall is a lava tube.

We did some S-E-R-I-O-U-S climbing to see what was on top of the rainbow falls.

The lava has hardened on top of the waterfall and the craters have formed warm pools of water. Three children were swimming in one of the natural pools there on top of the falls.

(As usual, click on the photos to enlarge.)

Have you ever seen a $20,000 orchid?

2008-06-03T20:27:00.009-05:00

TWITTER: Just pulling up to the orchid farm 07:42 PM April 19, 2008 from txt

The orchid farm in Mountain View (near Wild Orchid House, not far from Hilo). I would link to their site, but apparently they aren't on th web.

When we lived in Cape Coral/Ft. Myers, I raised orchids. I had 90+ orchids. I nurtured and loved those orchids and they grew, flourished and bloomed. They displayed their natural beauty and perfumed the air and gave me great satisfaction and joy.

When we moved from Florida, I had to leave the orchids. It was a sad parting.

So I was excited to to visit the orchid farm near Hilo.

Several signs throughout the buildings touted a "$20,000 orchid in the gift shop." Well, if you know Mike, you know he can't resist something worth lots o' money. So off we went to the gift shop to see this unbelievably pricey orchid.

We spotted it in a few seconds, among the decks of playing cards, magnets, shot glasses, hats and shirts. Way up on a pedestal, clearly marked with a sign declaring its value, was the treasure orchid.

Mike grabbed the camera out of my hands and insisted on taking a photo. What ended up in the frame of the shot that he took is very revealing (ummm, what does the bloom look like? where is the flower??).

So, have you ever seen a $20,000 orchid? You're not seeing it here!

Joy lies in a warehouse in Hilo

2008-06-01T15:08:00.014-05:00

TWITTER: Went a liitle crazy in the HUGE discount fabrics warehouse. 06:54 PM April 19, 2008 from txt

You know how I feel about fabric stores. I've blogged about this fetish before. We had actually driven by the huge warehouse with the sign in front declaring "Discount Fabric Warehouse" several times. Each time, my distraction grew. Finally, time in the schedule to explore the place that kept calling to me.

Better than my imagination had speculated... heavenly sigh... I quickly calculated how much room I might be able to make in my suitcase and how many yards that many square inches in a suitcase might translate to be.

As we entered the open-air gigantic warehouse, we saw the sale signs "Any fabric with flowers or butterflies 20% off." Were they kidding? Who's ever seen a sale sign like that? All the fabric sale signs I've ever seen in my life say something like "Linen suitings 20% off," or "Cotton knits 20% off," but never "Some arbitrary motif in the fabric pattern 20% off." Bizarre change of paradigm for me. But a happy one :-) ! Besides, about 80% of the fabric in the store had either a butterfly or a flower, or both.

My quick eye contact with Mike was effective enough to communicate the message: "See ya later, buddy!" I delved into the aisles, a little nervous for some reason. Maybe because of the sense of overwhelming warehouse full of treasures just waiting for me to find them.

Don't tell me I'm dysfunctional because of my affinity for fabric. I think it's a dominant gene in my family DNA. I can't help myself. Don't judge me!

Here's what I came home with:

You already saw what I did with this pink floral: a cute flowery dress and matching hat for Caille. (Sorry the photo is a little blurry here!)

I got the brown-background version of that floral print to make something for Bri. She hasn't chosen a pattern yet. I'm hoping there might be enough left over to make something for myself, too.

Mike started catching the fabric bug, it was so overpowering. This print is going to make a Hawaiian shirt for him.

And this one is another Hawaiian shirt for Mike.

I have no idea what I'm going to do with this one (sorry, a little blurry), but I love it and I had to have it. I'll think of something eventually.

I got lots and lots of yards of this petroglyph print. It's going to be matching shirts for Steve (my son-in-law) and my three grandsons. Matching shirts for dad and the little guys.

I also got several dozen coconut buttons, the traditional button to use on an Hawaiian shirt.

And of course, as I get all of these projects finished, I'll be posting them here for you to see.

(I must make myselft at least one suit from the stuff I bought in NYC months ago before I do any other projects, right?)

The card I picked up Discount Fabric Warehouse indicates that there are also locations in Kona, Maui and Kauai.