are you there?

do you ever look at my blog anymore?  I saw these on SoulPancake today and thought of you.  The top one especially reminds me of the book that you made.  I would like to see your book again someday.  Where is it?

I love SoulPancake!  Its a much better way to use internet time than some other things I get sucked into.

more coffee

I know enough of people are making useful things with old coffee sacks and its really not that original, but it makes me really happy to work with these bags and combine them with my leather work.     Some people even say that the burlap sheds a little, but I only think its annoying if you are wearing black.  I have four dogs, so I guess I don’t notice a little burlap DNA.

My friend Carolyn had been waiting on me to make her one of these bags for about six months.  She actually held my favorite sunglasses hostage until I finished.  I met her at this great new restaurant in Decatur called Leon’s Full Service Bar the the exchange.    This is definately my favorite new place to eat + drink.  Its actually appropriate that we met there since they serve Counter Culture Coffee, which is the amazing company that I get the bags from.  Hi Byron.

creative conduct?

Soulpancake.com is one of my regular check in and look around sites.   I pulled this picture off of there today from a recent post asking us to list five laws of creative conduct that we want to live by.  Im still thinking of mine.    I think I may use a similar version of #5.

Trees, bags, and marshmellows

Atlanta Christmas time with Anh.

we stopped by Whitespace Gallery to the Forever Green tree lot.

I was able to finally satisfied my craving for roasted marshmellows.  Im an excellent roaster.

The gallery was offering all the ingredients for the full out S’more, but

I just stuck to my plain roasted marshmellow.  It was Anh’s FIRST time

to roast!!   I made sure to tell her to keep it near the hot embers and not the flame.

Usually if someone catches their marshmellow

on fire almost always they say “I like it burnt.”  Okay so, whatever.

pin cushions

kelly ricks gave me this pin cushion for my birthday the last semester we were in school.  I still cant believe she was able to part with it!

note from A.T

the book of the bottom is one of my favorites Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces.  Its what inspired me to

start making reverse applique quilts in college even though I had just learned how to sew.  A graduate student in the fabric design department named Meredith Re showed how to do some stitches and use the sewing machine.  My method turned more into stitch and slash rather rather than applique.  I wasnt about to turn under all those edges!   The first doll I ever made is one the wall in my studio too.  I refused to ever part with that one even though it was always everyone’s favorite.

I was just looking to see if I had a jpeg of any of my quilts to post, but all my art from those days is on silly slides.  I will have to get those scanned.

Indie Craft 2008.

The new location for the Indie Craft Experience was so much better than the last two years Ive done it.  There was heat, light (for most people) and clean bathrooms!   I had fun getting my setup ready with my white wheel barrow, and ladder.   I have been on a white kick after spending time in Natalie Chanin’s alabama universe.  I even painted my buddha white.  It just so happened that Anh keeps a role of pink duct tape handy, so we decorated the floor around our space.   It was a wall crawlers party at the ladder for most of the day.  Sweet Julie on her crutches.  thank you everyone for coming to see me and supporting what I do.  you’re all the best!  Mr. Matt Hanner got up at and helped us at 7:30am, moved our cars, and carried heavy stuff.   John Hur brough me a Baldinos Italian sub and his help loading up plus kisses later. By the way mandy, I got the hug you sent home with John tonight.  I enjoyed it very much.

This is what I did that night.  It feels really good to take some cold medicine and put this warm heater just on your feet.  I was as relaxed as I can be without being totally asleep.  I love that.  That heater is Korean by the way.