Oto-na-ri

I stumbled upon this lovely blog today. In addition to being San Francisco's biographer, Odessa posts amazing pictures, lovely movie reviews, and thought provoking quotes pulled out of poetry and books.

I spent a good while looking over the pictures of some of my favorite places around San Francisco like Point Reyes (you can see my take on it here - I still count that day among the happiest of my life) and reveling in the fact that there was another adult out there learning how to dance classical ballet!

While looking through her blog I noticed she posted screenshots of Oto-na-ri, a Japanese movie. Since I was up and it was on the internet, I thought I'd give it a shot and watch it. Oh my stars, the use of light in that movie is phenomenal! It's really well done and well captured, funny and beautiful all at the same time.

If you want to check it out, it's here. And for those of you who care, I'm totally making a smock like the ones they use in the flower shops...and wearing out out and about.

Tiny Clothes for Priscilla

Remember that doll I thrifted almost a year ago? Recently I had a friend come to visit and she noticed that poor Priscilla had no clothes on. She's been wrapped in a scarf since she came home, and has sat on various shelves and windowsills of the homes I've lived in since I've gotten her.

"Elizabeth," My friend said "someone who sews as well as you shouldn't have a naked doll!"

Well, my friend was right - today I set about making Priscilla some lovely itty bitty things to wear. She's been fun (and quick!) to sew for. Every stitch is done by hand and everything has come out of my scrap bin or stash of trims and buttons.

So far she's gotten a pair of split drawers, a chemise, and a funny little corset (with no bones in it! I couldn't find any tiny zip ties!) made out of leftovers from my 18th c. stays and some bias binding in my trim box.

I plan on making Priscilla live in the late 1870's or early 1880's - around the time when Denver was first settled. That means bustle skirts, fitted jackets, and tiny hats.

What I Wore to the Movies

The place to wear impractical shoes...is to the movies. I wore this to go see the new remake of Jane Eyre (Go see it! It's beautiful!)

These shoes are surprisingly comfortable - I once went to an all day job interview in them, but they're still not the shoes I'm going to run around and teach in week after week.

I paired them with a pair of pants from Anthro and a white shirt from Ann Taylor. Sometimes I just want to wear simple clothes and this fits the bill...

Week 17 - 50 Crafts/52 Weeks

I messed up my week counting, believe it or not. I looked at a calendar this morning and realized that it's only been 17 sundays since the year began. I think...please correct me if I'm wrong!

This is my 16th project so it means I'm only one behind (and one big one is set to arrive in the mail any time now!).

I found this fabric at Denver Fabrics and really wanted to make a tunic style shirt out of it. It's a really, really light cotton Voile. It wrinkles a bit but it's too pretty not to wear.

I will do a collective post sometime this week when I have more time!

The Rest of Easter

In the afternoon when the weather got nice we made a tent out of blankets and our clothesline in the backyard and played twister and the guitar on the lawn.

Easter Baking...

My neighbors and I threw an easter party together...

We ate...strawberries and nutella

Gluten Free spice cake with honey cinnamon frosting...

Danishes (which apparently in Denmark are called Viennas) and pitchers of Sangria

and of course...jellybeans!

The Neighborhood at Night

I love the walk-ability and bike-ability of the apartment we live in...

Dead Air

Here's a random picture of Denver for you.

It's been very busy here - but I have some time to rest.

Expect some creativity and a post tomorrow!

Tea...

Isabelle invited me over for tea.

How could I say no when she offered up gluten free coffee cake and the loveliest patio in Boulder...

Week 16 -50 Crafts/52 Weeks

Celebrate! I finally finished that cowl oh...a good five months after I started it. I'm a slow knitter but that's okay. I had to rip this project out after I got about 30 rows in because I realized that no pattern was emerging. I put some stitch markers in and after that I was good to go.

This is craft 16...

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What are my other crafty cohort members doing?

Raggedy Angel finished some felted pebbles.

Fifty First Crafts finished a beaded bracelet. It's stunning and has robots on it. You should go look at it here.

Studio Marlowe finished this super-duper cute baby sweater. That I'd totally wear if it was my size. I think I would wear anything she makes, frankly.

Morgan finished a hat out of some Lopi she thrifted when I went up to Fort Collins to visit her. I am slightly jealous she is such a fast knitter! And the Lopi looks beautiful! Also she needs to tell me a bit about her hat display stand thing...

If I am missing you, please let me know and I will add you!

The Sun and the Heat

Walking westward on 13th...

It feels, to my Wisconsin self, like summer here most days.

Between here and the state line...

What do I do when I get a new suit?

Wear it to a job interview and then ruin my shoes by running around on the dirt roads by the oil fields along the front range, of course...

I found this abandoned school along the roads running through the oilfields. I imagine that there once were farms in the area and their children went there but now it's been taken over by the oil derricks and tanker trucks that zoomed by as I took these pictures. I love how the chains of the swing set still hang there and the merry go round is buried in the brush that has grown up around it, waiting for those children to come back and play.

This is not the earth...

How can a place be so vast and otherworldly?

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Week 15 -50 Crafts/52 Weeks

You can check out project 13, a little recording project, at it's very own little blog here. I think I need to stop making new blogs every time I have a project...I think I'm up to four now?

And finally, you can hear something I've played and recorded (albeit very poorly!).

Also, I just finished a knitting needle case for craft 14. This is a project I haven't had much need for, only owning about two sets of needles, but I recently found a needle stash at the thrift store so now I have a reason to make one!

This project took no time at all, especially because I used the selvedge edge for the top of the needle holding piece. I used all stash thread, fabric, and bias binding (use double wide for this!).

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Lots of busy people crafting and creating these days, too! These are the most recent (sorry if I've missed linking some in between guys! It's been busy around here!)

Maggie is up to 17 and created a beautiful sweater! As someone who is a mending aficionado I really appreciated the up close look at her sweater mends, too!

Morgan started to plant things for her garden!

Studio Marlowe finished another amazing (totally something I'd wear) sweater! Love it!

Okac has continued her baking roll and also made an Easter wreath!

Fifty First Crafts always does some amazing work. She made some Pysanky (wax relief) eggs...and they are beautiful!

Bunni Garu made the most darling cake - I want a piece!

We have a newcomer to the 50/52 challenge - it's never too late to start, right? Check out Raggedy Angel's crafts over on her blog!

Somewhere in the desert, we are...

driving endlessly. I see this gathering of rusting things and sunworn paint on metal.

"Pull over! Pull over!" I wave my hands wildly motioning for my husband to hit the brakes and stop.

"I sure do love you, honey, but you like anything that's falling apart!" My husband smiles knowing I've found treasures, and pulls a U-turn on the narrow road.