Another Greeting Card

And if you think I'm posting autumn pics in lieu of some snappy writing, yip. I haven't felt very snappy in a while, so I have to get in shape. (And, yeah, I copied this from my other blog again. Just give me a few more days to switch on my gray cells.)

For Valerie

This is our tree, about 30 minutes ago. While looking at the leaves more closely, I noticed there are far fewer purple leaves this year, and more of the deep dark red ones. I know the colors differ from year to year, and I'd imagine it has to do with moisture and temperature and such, but the tree looks so "red" this year.

And I was a day late for the cherry tree; more leaves fell today and it looks less dramatic. Yesterday I was weeding just underneath the cherry tree, and I heard leaves falling around me. The dead bits on lower right is a rose called Elena and it needs cutting back but Ben does the roses.

Both photos have been touched up to make them look more like the way I see the two trees.

A year or so ago, I heard on a radio interview that a Canadian (?) scientist discovered leaves don't fall on their accord, that the tree let go of the leaves as it prepares for winter. Kind of like parents letting go of children, no?

A Greeting Card for You

I found this baby when I was weeding my lettuce patch. And a few others as well, but they are not doing as well in the pots. (And I just copied the entire post from another blog of mine! Talk about slack!)

Good on You!! (Shame on Me!!)

Yesterday I received the first link submission, that is, she will post the small scarf on her own blog. This morning I received the first sent-in submission.

You weavers put me to shame, I have to go fix my heddles (some were twisted and wrapped around each other) and that's part of the reason I've been so remiss in doing my bit for our exhibition, but I shall now get back on the saddle and get into action.

Last week I got out half a dozen books-on-tapes so I'd spend more time in the basement, too. Everything is ready. I have no more excuses. Talk soon.

I'm OK!!

Thanks for those of you who emailed me to ask if I've fallen off the planet. I'm still here, at the bottom of the world, and I'm doing fine. But thanks for asking.

I've been trying to get my act together, and by that I mean, I'm not at all depressed buy trying to install some new working habits and attitudes, but I'm not seeing results yet. I'm trying to be more productive, but I don't know where all the time goes.

I'm behind in work, I'm behind in planning my SSVE scarf, and I'm behind in all kinds of other stuff I can think of, even though I don't think I've been overcommitted. I'm just doing horribly in the time management department, and my To Do lists are getting longer and too complicated. I forgot the difference between bold letters and red entries last week, and I had too many categories I had to go back to a simpler numbering system, but you don't want to know.

One thing for sure is, for the last year I tried to be emotionally prepared to turn 50, and I did a good job there. But I didn't count on how physically we age, and I seem to be spending a lot of time complaining about complaints that don't seem to be bad enough to go see a doctor about. And googling seems to be the worst thing one can do.

But I am enjoying the autumn, and luckily for me, we're having a rather long and glorious one this year. Oh, and I'm spending some time weeding the garden. Now, that's new!!

You Are All Good Bras!!

Found at my gym today.

Loom Knitting

I was asked by Crystal of PA if loom knitting can be included in our exhibition. I've been hearing this term for some time now, but never knew what it was, so I googled and saw on YouTube how these contraptions work.

I see that it's definitely more knitting than weaving, but because it appears just as, (and I use this term with great affection), tedious as loom weaving, and because I prefer to be more inclusive than exclusive, loom knitting is in.

If we get many loom knit scarves, I may create a separate virtual room in the exhibition to differentiate the two methods, but more later. (And if you read Crystal's very first post on the kinds of charity work she's done, you, too, could not have said no, I assure you.)

I finally have a plan in my head for mine. I'm just not sure if it's the kind that would photograph well. I need to let the idea brew.

PS: Crystal's link now works. Sorry, folks.

Fustian

I've been subscribing to Dictionary.com's word of the day, and this morning (my time)'s word is:

fustian \FUHS-chuhn\, noun:

1. A kind of coarse twilled cotton or cotton and linen stuff, including corduroy, velveteen, etc.
2. An inflated style of writing or speech; pompous or pretentious language.
3. Made of fustian.
4. Pompous; ridiculously inflated; bombastic.

I'm not sure if I'd associate corduroy with ridiculously inflated, but I'd never heard this word that I can remember, so I thought I'd try to use it in the next little while.

Meanwhile, I was prioritizing my work commitments while at Sue's gallery yesterday (I've been doing it on Mondays lately), and I found I had written down our virtual exhibit photos are due May 9!! Gulp! I hadn't even seriously thought of a design, and it was already the afternoon of May 5. I did suspect it might have been a mistake, however, because I distinctly remember making the due date a Monday (so, Sunday North American time), so I decided not to panic until I checked what I posted. Which I did just now. Phew, it's June 9. I did wonder for two minutes there if it would be "on" for me to only organize and not show. Would you ever trust me again if I said, "You're in good hands," ?

%$#@!!

I've got lots to tell you, but all the words are jumbled in my head; I've been traveling deep into the other hemisphere these last few days. So, weave well, dear souls, until I can sit down and hear all your stories, and I can tell you mine.

Art/Craft Discussion Alert

This time it's at Constance Rose Textile Design.

In Japan, many involved in craft are women, particularly in textile, (although respected masters covered by the press are usually menfolk), so I don't feel as strongly that men's work is priced higher there necessarily, and in some ways craft is respected more than fine art because it has to satisfy the utilitarian requirements and technical excellence first, before even thinking about looking at the aesthetic merits.

Which makes me think of the term "decorative" art as used by museum to distinguish themselves from fine art institutions. Notice how decorative art museums are, well, kind of quirky and in-between art and historical museums, with the notable exception of V&A? Or maybe I'm too ignorant and not well-traveled enough; I'd love to hear about other "beautiful things you can use" museums which command a modicum of respect by the general society. Paintings and sculptures appear more "decorative" than weaving/garments, furnitures, etc., etc., etc, in my estimation, because "fine" art don't do anything, but what do I know...

In New Zealand craft is very much the underclass of art practices, though some people have successfully elevated their craft into art in the societal perception; ceramics (the kind you can't use) and more recently jewelry, with jewelers calling themselves sculptors. Within weaving, of course tapestry (picture/decorative) weaving is higher art than fabric art, and many weavers are women and there is a very blurry line between an armature and a professional. And there are no "serious weaving school", whatever it may mean, in the country, to my knowledge. So we are at the bottom of the rung.

I totally agree with Constance. In in the West, there is the strong association between the value of the artist and the price their work fetch. At least in Japan, in craft, there is a sliver of hope the government might make you a living human treasure, though you stand a better chance if you're well over 70 and male.

And then, there's the problem of critics, isn't there? Who's going to decide we've done well? And perhaps we're even lucky in this area because fabric weaving is seldom taken seriously as a art form so we don't get scrutinized as viciously as, say, painters or installation artist? Oppps, I've gone too far; don't get me started in installation art!

I wish we got some kind of a magic "letter" for the intrinsic/existential value of the work we do and the pieces we make, so we can all walk around with, say, a golden W on our shirts, but even for that I need to invest a few more tons of elbow grease. Besides, if there were such magic letters, nurses, for starters, will get all the gold threads, I reckon.

Trust me, I'm not grumpy this morning, in case you couldn't tell...

Do You Have a Wish List?

I had an email waiting for me this morning from the same Liz I mentioned yesterday. It was one of those lists with silly, everyday questions that I love to receive from Liz, because it makes me feel as if I still know her. I lived with her family during our senior year in high school, and now she's a mother of three, and a manager of a big IT team, so there is no way I know most of what's going on in her life now, but still, I learned that today her favorite color is yellow.

One of the questions this morning, "Name something in your wish list."

This evening I was gazing at the telly, and there was a shampoo commercial. I wasn't paying much attention, but across the screen I read two lines: "Make a wish list. Not just a To Do list."

At any time I have between two and half a dozen To Do lists. I had a small list of things I wanted, but finances being tight, I deleted it late last year.

But a wish list? I don't even know how to go about writing one. It sounds nice, though, doesn't it? I think I'd like to be the kind of person who has a wish list.

I'll have to think about this one.