a pieced and quilted life

this and that...that and this...let's play catch-up!

i cannot believe its already mid December!! I've taken to writing love letters to my fleeting lover time! as he is truly evading me these days..

its like i'm in a long distance love relationship with time...he comes...fleeting into my life...only to leave me hanging and longing for him to stay around longer.

one day i'll marry time!...until then...i'm happily very busy!

so let's get down to business...what the heck have i been up to to stay away for...i don't want to know how many days?

1. homeschooling still...going well...kids are amazing

2. started going to acupuncture...and its working!! thankfully...

3. wonderful holiday rush, more orders in a couple of weeks than I've ever had (thank you wonderful customers!!)

4. finished up a 3 quilt, quilting commission

5. looking at schools, and wondering when and which way i'll finally finish my degree

6. creating my facebook fan page, won't you join please?

7. tea staining fabric 

8. creating artwork for an upcoming gallery show (February, 2010) on: play

9. and finally creating a bag and writing a corresponding article for haute handbags magazine (woohoo!)

let me be honest here...even though it gets "hairy" sometimes...i crave being busy...i crave it like i crave kisses and hugs from my lil loves...and do-nothing, veg-out time with e...its just better to have something to do..than to sit with idle fingers...staring back at me holding nothing.

now that i'm caught up with shop orders, and i think my holiday rush has passed...i'm happily getting excited and working on all sorts of things...

i'm really excited about the upcoming art show...as i'm going back to cloth...working with art quilts...and falling in love all over again with quilting. this time i'm changing it up...working in smaller dimension...and doing it all by hand (except for piecing some seams).

i'm also excited about the upcoming article in haute handbags...i just sent my article out this morning...and will wait with my fingers crossed, eyes closed and breath held till it comes out. i've been told its coming out in april, 2010...but sometimes these things are held over to another publishing...so we'll see. nothing is set in stone...till its well...set in ink. ha!

the month is almost over...i'm so freaking excited about the holidays i really can't stand it...but i'm excited to get started baking and crafting this week...i've got plans...and plans...and plans...lets see how many of them we i can get done.

I've decided to put together a little picture stroll...of everything that's happened in the past few weeks...what's a post with out tons of pictures?

let's go!

yummy food

vegan cornbread...for my dressing....so tasty!

simi-vegan homemade thanksgiving dinner...only non-vegan item is the chicken (e will not go totally vegan...), this is e's plate...so the candied yams were missing.

p.s. i did make 2 vegan sweet potato pies ( i ate an entire one by myself that weekend...no joke) and a vegan pecan pie...which the boys ate...they were too devoured for pictures...the other sweet potato pie is in the freezer, vacuum sealed (so that I wouldn't have eaten two in the weekend by myself)!

shop stuff:

beautiful tomato red petal bag made for a lovely customer jenn...i ♥ her!

 

front...

back...

inside...

pencil cases...

inside pencil cases...

this lovely set of goods and zakka was made for a wonderful customer's 3 year old daughter. these are some old deer-skin hides from her deceased father...that i made into bags for her (earlier in the year) and now for her daughter...with accompanying pencil cases (2 for her, 2 for her brother)...

this was one of my favorite projects...i channeled my 7-year old self...and designed from things i remember drawing at that age.   

new moo cards...love the new case..though i love the old ones too.

my 3 designs...

 

yogi tea bag tags i've been saving... 

i've been organizing all my embroidery floss as a productive "unwinding, vegging out" project at the end of the evenings...

thanks to a promotion with verizon fios (and good cyber monday sales)...we got a new laptop...for almost free...its not a mac, but i and e have loved using it during the evenings...this means i can finally get his large desktop out of my studio (yay!!!) and have more storage space...and the room officially to myself! 

my only wish for it being mac is so that i could use photoshop on it...so i could blog from it...i have elements...so i'll install that eventually...it is already loaded with eq6 and this!

my side of the bed this morning...and last night...while working on my article...i kept taking breaks to look at the new books i've gotten recently...and brush up on my sewing techniques. i'm being very ambitious in the new year...making all my clothes! stay tuned!

 

i got this wonderfully beautiful card friday night...just because, from the boy...look at the worm in the lower left hand corner...and the lady bug in the sky amidst the falling colored snow...and aren't i cute in my pink dress? that's charlie our bird on the tree limb in case u were wondering...this was the greatest gift!

we decided to homeschool in my studio today...like we did before the kids started kinder...this is today's lesson books that we had to cart upstairs...see why i'm so busy? one day's worth of lessons!

my sweet boy...getting ready for school this morning...in his guitar p.j.'s that he's been refusing to take off until santa brings him his electric guitar...sigh...gotta love childhood...

 

my lil lady...who always comes to class dressed...and accessorized...while me and the lil guy look like bums...she wants to start designing her own clothes...wait till she sees what "santa" brings her to help her with those ambitions!

art work in process...more later on the kikasa blog...

my latest collection...weaving yarns...can't wait to have time to weave again! my towels are already stained up from much use at the dinner table!

 

and finally...a sneak peak of our christmas so far...we got our 2 trees a couple weeks ago...decorated one of them...and will be decorating the other tonight...can't wait to share more christmas pics!

so there...this is the jest of what i've been up too...of course there were wonderful meals that i didn't get to snap pictures of, holiday cookies...and gingerbread dough...rain and hail storms...

its been a rush, these last few weeks...i'm so excited to bring in the new year...to celebrate the holidays...i literally can't stand it! i've never been this excited about a new year...like now!

i'm excited to see what wonderful things the universe and i dream up together!

peace...ki

p.s. i hope to stop this binge...purge..blemic posting schedule that i'm on...but truth is...i can't make any promises...when i do post...i'll make it worth while!! i know i'll be back soon...something special is coming in the mail wednesday...i wonder if you all can guess...one of the pictures gives a good clue!

thanks for accompanying me on this journey...thus far...we're almost 3 years strong!

p.p.s my sis is back! pay her a visit over at www.neosewmama.typepad.com she's had some amazing life changes...wonderful...go tell her hi!
        

sisterhood for women: a crafty group to help women in need...be apart

hello there wonderful people...

i'm so excited to share this i've got goosebumps all over me!

for many, many years myself and my sis nina have been wanting to help women internationally...women who are suffering in other parts of the world. 

women like you and i who have dreams, children, households and aspirations but who don't live in a place that enables them to dream...that protects them...that provides the many things that we all take for granted. women who've been abused and hurt in ways we could never begin to imagine.

we've had so many ideas and aspirations of ways of helping...finally...i feel like we...i...u...we all collectively can help.

the idea:

makidada

we are starting a sisterhood, a collection of like minded women who want to band together, start a movement and help women in less fortunate regions of the world. 

there are so many organizations, groups, foundations out there that have wonderful ways to help a woman in need and we...as a collective can band together and help.

the idea is to congregate all of us together, and collectively we can donate. one of the biggest issues i've found is having enough money to start or commit to helping on a regular or continuing basis. so the idea is that if we collectively donate small amounts of money, together we can make a difference.

(makidada is swahili for 'little sister')

how:

there are a number of different organizations out there designed to help women and fund programs to help women feed their families, become literate, start business, or even get out of abusive relationships; we will collectively donate to them.

Here are the organizations:

women for women international

women for women is an organization that directly helps women in the conflict and post-conflict environments through a holistic approach. the women enroll in a year long program that first address their emotional and immediate needs, and then works to educate them on rights, leadership education, vocational and technical training. the program also creates a support system between the sponsor and sponsee through a letter exchange.

how we can help:

the cost of sponsoring a woman is $27 a month (with a one-time set up fee of $30) once we get a group of women together we can collectively  aggregate our money to sponsor. We can do that a number of different ways, depending on how many women are interesting in sponsoring.

if we have 12 women:

for every 12 women we'll create a group "big sister" who will organize the group in choosing which region they want to help, collecting all the money...and making the one time payment of $29.50 (which pays for a full 1-year sponsorship of a woman). The group would then be contacted with their sponsee's name and information from their groups "big sister" to write letters and exchange with the sponsored woman. This would be a 1 time fee for an entire year.

if we have 6 women:

for every 6 women we can create another group with the same principles as the 12 woman group however, the payment would be made bi-annually (two payments in the year). The first payment would be $32 each (to cover the one time set up fee of $30), and the second payment would be $27. The payments would be 6 months apart, and the sponsorship would be for a year also.

if we have 6 women or fewer (who can donate small amounts monthly):

for every 6 women we could pay monthly in small amounts of $4.50 a month...with the initial $30 being split and paid in the first month. so the first month would be $9.50, and each additional month would be $4.50 for a period of 12 months.

the idea of this system is to allow those who would like to help, but who have limited monthly incomes a way to aggregate their money. with this we would all carry the weight of supporting our sponsored woman financially and through by letters.

heifer international

heifer international is a wonderful organization that allows donators to give a "gift" to poverty stricken people around the world that will enable to them to create a better life for themselves. through the program, the receivers are given things that vary from livestock animals to help them feed their families to trees to help stabilize the soil on their land. the donation is a one time donation for a particular gift and the amounts range from $20 to $5,000. the concept of the heifer international program is to empower families and those in need to help themselves, and then allow them to help others.

how we can help:

a collection of us can get together and share a gift of our choosing for a family in need. depending on the amount of people, and the gift chosen the gift amount can be as small as $1 or as large as you'd like.

kiva 

kiva is another wonderful organization and one that is close to my heart. kiva works by mirco-loaning small amounts of money to women and men to finance small business. in these poverty stricken areas, a small business loan can make a huge difference in the life of a woman and her family. with her own business, she can become independent and take care of herself and her family.

once the money is loaned the borrower will pay back the money to the loaner and the loaner has the option to re-loan the money to another borrower, donate the money to kiva for organizational expenses, or withdraw the money through paypal.

this is a wonderful opportunity for us crafters and independent designers with our own small business to give a little back and help other women start their own businesses.

the wonderful thing is that you get to choose who you want to lend to, kiva does a wonderful job of setting up profiles of the borrowers to let you know thier family/life situation, what type of business they are trying to establish, and what their current skills are and their future plans.

how we can help:

a collection of us can get together, choose a person/business that we want to lend to and collectively sponsor her business. through this program there is no need for one person to collect the money for the group, each person can create their own account, sign in and donate what they can. the loaning amounts start out at $25 (a one time loan...or more if u wish).

what else can we do?

as creative women, we can create for a cause:

• as sponsors in women for women, we can send our sponsee wonderfully handcrafted items to brighten her day, and her families day...maybe a softee for a new baby, a hand crocheted hat, whatever it is that you make....receiving something handmade just for you is always a wonderfully uplifting experience.
• we can create items for our etsy shop where a portion of the sales goes towards helping a woman in need
• we can hold a blog auction where we auction off items we hand make with all proceeds going to help another woman in need
• we can create an etsy street team that regularly donates a portion of sales, or run specials to donate
• i can organize a gallery show at my home gallery where all proceeds (or a portion there of) would go towards a group donation...a fundraiser
• i'm creating a blog for us to share our crafting, experiences, donations with the internet community and hopefully inspire others to not only create but donate to. all participating members will be able to submit articles to the blog on their makidada crafting projects.
• we can blog about it
• we can tweet about it
• we can share it on facebook
• we can share it on flickr

as a collective we can start a movement...we can raise consciousness...we can change the lives of women and children around the world...and in doing so make this world a better place.

i truly...with all my gut...all my idealism believe that we...harnessing the power of the internet...harnessing our collective creative and crafty talents can impact the world.

we can do this.

i hope with every bit of marrow in my bones that this moves you all...and you all would like to participate. 

we don't need to give lots of money...every dollar...every thing helps.

please respond here...or email me if you are interested at:

 4mikidada:::at:::gmail:::dot:::com

once we have at least 6, hopefully 12 of us together we can get started...

*also, this is my hope, dream, idea of me being able to help more women than i can afford right now...if you'd like to help on your own..please feel free to take a look at each organization and donate on your own if you feel more comfortable. i do believe however that doing this as a group could create a powerful movement...

a collection of twigs is much stronger than one twig

with all that said...please consider.

have a wonderful day and upcoming weekend...

peace, ki

i am bibliophilic. join me.

*book club info at bottom*

can i please tell you and write on and on about how much i love to read? (and write) (and talk)

i could write a soliloquy, a report...a poem...an essay...a thesis...perhaps even a haiku

on the pleasure (principal) of reading...for me.

when i find a good book...my hands and fingers somehow morph into this "other" being...or extension of said book...its hard to tell where my extremities end...and the literature begins...

i can see words printed on my hands...arms...palms...constantly changing...and giving me the opportunity to sustain such a pleasurable preoccupation..(now i'm seeing a painting in my head)

its hard to imagine my eyes focused...my mind...focused on anything but...the characters floating around between the pages...of whatever good book i'm reading.

i am a lover of books...

a bibliophile.

book club information:

join me and my sis if you'd like...

we're starting a book club...nothing serious, nothing big or grand...just a collection of us (and others hopefully) and a collection of books...doled out in increments...maybe weeks, maybe months...and gathering to talk about it...

we'd like company...but if not...we're fine to continue on...like we've done over the years...reading the same book...getting on the phone and talking about it.

we don't have a name...no serious schedule.....besides the lofty goal of a book a month...

join us if you'd like.

our first selection, though it was pinned to be something from the great zora neale hurston...will be:

red river, by lalita tademy

we loved cane river...so it was only fitting that we start with this book...once we discovered it (a year and a half late).

we're starting it this week...and plan to talk about it the first of july...although i'm sure we'll be talking about it in the meantime...

if you'd like to join us...leave a message, or tweet either of us...and we'll all take it from there..

peaceful reading...ki

december is here!

so i've been taking a bit of a break here in chronicling my thoughts and happenings in my life. my time has been so limited that something had to give and i guess that something was my blog.

i've been very intent on creating a line of bags that above all else i was in love with. in addition schooling the kids takes so much of my time, and energy. the schooling is going great...the kids are now reading and they love it...they spell words and read words every chance they get...with the bath tub letters, the fridge phonics on the fridge, and even in their drawings.

kid's hallway gallery

speaking off...they've set up an "impromptu" gallery in our upstairs hallway...the wall is in between our rooms (our bedroom and my studio) and their rooms on the other side. it should of had some art work a long time ago...but i've not done much to decorate our home in the 4 years we've been here. (wow, just realized this month makes this our 4th year!) i think i'm finally settling in and such that i feel ready to decorate. this is the longest we've lived in one house. our first home was a condo (we stayed there for 1 1/2 years) our second home we stayed for 3 years...and now we're here...a place we feel we can raise our kids. its the only home they know (we moved here when yali was 1 1/2 and the little guy was 1 1/2 months old) mentally i feel ready to decorate...i feel like it is our home. i have painting on the brain!

speaking of painting and decorating...need some inspiration? go to jubella and check out this post! ericka has rejuvenated my desire to personalize, beautify and decorate my home...so much inspiration, and all on a true budget!

so i'm jumping all over the place in this post...

so back to life over here...

i'm thinking that the key to the rest of the year and the future is getting my creative life on a schedule. me and my sis nina have been knowing and talking about this for some time...but i've yet to implement it into my life! is it just me or do other artist find it hard to create on a schedule...i know i'm not the only artist who waits for inspiration not opportunity to hit.

the thing is...being a mommie...a stay at home mommie...a working mommie...a homeschooling mommie...a student mommie...opportunity is of premium! e is wonderful at giving me time when he gets home to do what ever i need to do..but with me school, and other things...if i have the energy...lots of things don't get done. 

i think i'm going to make the mornings, my creative time and switch school and other things to the evening. i find that in the morning i'm rejuvinated and inspired and at my best at 7 am...when 7 pm hits...i'm done with dinner and ready to just unwind and relax...and be sleep in less than 3 hours! 

i shared that my mom asked me what time do i have to do what i like to do...i considered making bags "that time" when she informed me that was my "job" and not "me time" so i've thought about what i'd like to do?

• meditate
• paint
• write more poetry
• sketch
• bake bread and other pastries

these things would be wonderful ways to start my day! so i think i'll strive for that...and doing school in the evenings, when e is here and i know he can answer the phone and take care of the kids so i can concentrate even more.

i'm thinking about scheduling days for particular activities...that way mentally i know that hey monday is baking day...etc. we'll have to see if 1. i can do it, and 2. i stick to it. i still find it hard to imagine myself creating on a schedule...what if i'm not inspired to paint...what if i want to sew...etc. who knows...i'm sure i'll work it out!

one thing i know for sure...is that i need to keep and guard my studio from the messies...while creating the handbags, i had to re-arrange things, close up the sewing machine and move it to the side...along with the ironing pad, to make room for leather crafting. the leather crafting is a very messy thing...lots of leather dye (thank goodness its water soluble), leather dust...and little leather punch-out dots.

a messy section of my studio...

so what's the plan for the rest of the year?

i have about 3-4 new purse designs...i may dole them out this last month..or i may save half for the new year!

i want to do lots of christmas crafts and baking with the kids...i'm seriously entertaining the idea of doing a 12 days of christmas blog-along...

i want to start painting again...i've bought myself some new brushes, and some new medium...and i plan to build some wood panels (or have e do it)

new higher quality brushes (i took advantage of michael's black friday sale...and got 50% off a $40 brush, and 25% off the others!...they better be excellent!!)

i want us to take a family picture...its been four years since we've taken one...and i think within the next 2 days we will...(we did! this post was originally created saturday morning). i'm going to get my locks re-twisted this afternoon...the boys are getting their haircut today! and we'll take advantage of the sales to get some matching 'corny 'fits. all we needed was an outfit for the little guy because he out grew last year's christmas clothes, the little lady didn't, and a new $10 tie for e...i wore a dress i love! from a summer target sale...

jimenez family, holiday '08

we also had the kids take their school pictures while we were there! (the lady could not understand why i wanted "boring school pictures." i see them as classic...if i want "personality shots" i'll take them myself!

classic kindergarten school pictures!

i want to make handmade gifts for the kids and e...and send out my much loved cookie tins to family..oh and design some holiday cards... 

and lastly i'm seriously thinking about doing some video blogging or some you-tube video tutorials (but first santa needs to bring me a camcorder)...not to mention me and nina are still tossing around the idea of a podcast. we want to do it...we just need to figure out the ins and outs (we are in two different states.) any suggestions? we're not podcast savy yet.

i'm really liking the idea of being able to do a "baking show" of some sort...and also have some short videos of me making things...painting...and showing a few steps in my process. not to mention, i have some cool artist friends that i'd love to video tape interviews with...well let me be honest...i don't have that many friends...more like...ummmm...let me count...5 or so...that i can think of right now...oh wait...six! whoo-hoo...six interesting/artist friends, thant i'd love to share their work with you all.

there are so many random things about life i'd love to record and share...just because i think it is so awesome to peer into someone else's life...and see tidbits of how they live. see the people who populate their lives...their daily inspirations, etc.

who else love's house hunters? and show's like that...i know i do.

okay...let's see, i think that is about all of what i want to do for the end of the year.

now i'm wondering what's everybody else's december is looking like? what do people do during december? what's your traditions...things you look forward to doing? me?

• christmas tree shopping
• holiday baking
• snuggling with e, and watching movies
• christmas crafts and house decorating 

that's just what i can think of right now...i'm sure there is more.

well, i'm hoping that everybody is doing well, is staying healthy and is not over doing the budget with all the sales...i'm finally back to a regular blogging schedule...and plan to be around quite often for the holidays...

i'm working out the "math" in my head for 12 days of christmas...all baking? or some crafts too? or some crafts and "ways to celebrate" ideas too? who knows...maybe it'll just be everything!

stay healthy, take care of yourselves...love your families...and keep an eye on your budget!

happy december!!

paz,

ki 

contemplating and charting new directions...

i've been a blogging bum. i know. but after a week or two of some heavy html coding...i needed a break! good news? i got an a in my web design class...yipee...and i did get an a on the website i had to create from scratch....what was it called? fromscratch. and yeap it featured my wannabe, one day, maybe, if ever, dream of opening a bakery.

but enough about that..

i'm feeling so inspired lately! so full of hope and ideas...

here's why:

i'm considering charting a new direction (not necessarily different) business wise. i really believe in myself...i believe that i can do something...substantial..feel sort of like i got something wonderful (at least to me) bottled up inside waiting to be thrown out into the world.

and, i believe so much...i want to put my name on it. if i give it my name, i'm giving it all of me. i'm giving it me. i can't abandon me. i have a few ideas of names that i'm pondering...one in particular that i lurve! but i'm going to wait before i share it...make sure i really want to do it.

so what's the new direction?

well...

first- i want to continue with making bags...yeah i get frustrated with it a lot of times...but i always return because i truly love making bags. period.

hand-stitched leather bag, "my art my truth" this is a standard "tooled leather" handbag pattern, so if this goes into production in my studio...i'll have to make it my own. there are some things i'd like to 

change about it, though i think its a cute little classic bag shape.

but, i think since i want to take it up a notch...i'm going to take it up a notch. i think i'm going to stray away from the quilted bags and focus on all leather bags. i love the vegans, heck i want to be one myself one day but, although i hate to admit it (because i am so sensitive now to animal rights) i love working with leather...it is a truly remarkable medium to work with...and i can't get around it.

i rationalize it in my head with the knowledge that the leather i purchase is a by-product of the meat industry. so the leather doesn't come first...the meat does. i feel using it in some way gives more gratitude to the animal that was sacrificed...by me making it into something beautiful. in one of my anthropology classes we studied north american indians and learned how much reverence they had for animals...yet they still used the leather...they saw throwing it away disrespectful...and i guess i take that view too. 

i've been working on some designs...and playing around with ways of coloring the leather that's outside of the norm. i got a ways to go..but that's okay...i've got lots of scraps to play with.

experimenting with painting leather...i want rich color! that i create/blend!

the large dr.'s bag...i'm obsessed with this particular shape of bags..my hands down favorite! i would make one and own one in every size...this is a large size, i'm going to make a small one too.

this is the "taco" bag till i get a proper name...its shaped like a taco..and soo roomy!

*this is a window into my designing process...make "muslins" in automotive vinyl (my f.i.l. is a car upolsterer and loves to give me big, gigantic, oil smelling rolls of vinyl, that are taller than me!...and some times scraps of leather...and heavy duty tools sometimes too!). the vinyl in a lot of ways mimic leather, but just lacks the structure that the veg tanned leather that i work with has...so these have no shape/structure...once made they'll be just like the leather one above...stitching and all! 

second- i've been smitten with shoe-making. true i've only made a pair, but i got as much pleasure out of making those boots as i've gotten from making bags...and painting. since that first pair, i've been looking at shoes in another light...and i've been able to visually see and understand how they're put together...and man does it make my heart skip a beat. like falling in love.

some of my shoe sketches...some for women, some for girls...or heck both! mother/daughter shoes anyone? can you tell i love mary janes, t-straps, flats and such? 

so i'm seriously, well more than that i'm setting out on a journey of making women's shoes and children's shoes. especially shoes for little girls. i'm so excited about the possibilities that i've not been able to sleep through the night...dreaming of was i can soul, protect and decorate feet. funny thing? i hate feet. no foot fetish here...not at all...maybe that's the thing...i want to cover them up.

and third- i'm realizing that it's nothing wrong with being an artist (painter/fabric artist) and artisan (shoemaker and bag designer). in fact i believe its just awesome. and while i'm at it...i may make some clothes too. i've come to the point that i see myself as my own one-woman boutique! if you walk into a boutique wouldn't it be awesome to see  many different "notes," many different things to ponder and consider...to appreciate?

golden paints...the bees knees of acrylic paints if you ask me. i've gotta do a post on this for all you acrylic painters out there...

the daniel smith 8-color quinacridone set...these colors will rock your world, i highly recommend them for your palette!

my collection of paints, cheap and expensive organized in this buffet drawer (which lives in my room). i use the "cheaper basic" paints for my gesso...i paint on all wood hand made panels...made by me!

a lot of you beautiful women (you know who you are!) that i've gotten to know love, here through blogging have got many different talents too, and you know what? i'm calling you out! your a walking boutique too! drop the fear, and do it all! it doesn't matter if it sells, if your not an etsy top seller, if you struggle getting it off the ground...none of that matters!

do it and do it all!

do you love it? do it!

does it make you feel good? do it!

does it make your heart sing? do it!

are you scared? do it!

are you unsure? do it!

just do it!

me and my sis, have been talking and as we always do...we've been pumping each other up...supporting and encouraging each other...and we've got an idea. we're holding each other accountable, we're keeping ourselves honest, we're making sure we stay focused, we're going to support, encourage, and promote each other...and guess what?

we want you!

we want you to join us, what are you trying to do? what's your dream? what's your goal? what's knocking in your heart trying to get out? well...now is your time to get support...to get held accountable, to be supported, encouraged...and promoted! 

all you beautiful women trying to reach a goal...join us!

what ever your goal...

school, home, work, entrepreneur, life, religion...whatever! what every you need support with we want to be there...we're thinking about creating a *small blog group sort of thing...where we check in to share our progress, get support, encourage each other, hold each other accountable, and encourage each other. a weekly or bi-weekly post that expresses where your at, what you need and how we can help. something simple. just a way where we can network, support and encourage each other. nothing to stress about, just a way to surround ourselves with the abundance of beautiful women out there believing in themselves.

so let's talk about it...let's discuss it...and let's get going ladies. we can do it!

(i know i'm corny)

but really, let's make it happen!

paz,

ki

(grey's anatomy is on...i gots to go!)

Shlumpadinka a.k.a. slump-a-dinka

in this post i told you all that i was going to seriously hunker down and become a:

shlumpadinka a.k.a. slump-a-dinka

some of you didn't know what i was talking about.

nina to the rescue.

she went online...and got some "official" definitions.

see here.

a slump-a-dinka....(in my words) is a woman, be it mama, or wife, stay-at-home mother, or working mom...crafty chica, artist extradoinaire...or cooking master...single woman or "just engaged"...grandmother or twenty-something...

who:

has no time, no energy, or no care...to get dolled up to get what she needs to get done. she ain't got time to put on that pretty outfit that makes it look that she just got done doing yoga, she ain't got no cute matching track suits with the shoes to match to make going to the grocery store...going to get the mail...or playing outside in the dirt with the kids look like a wonderful sporting event.

she does not always wear the pretty aprons that she crafts up...because...while cleaning the toilet, washing the clothes, putting the kids toys back into the organizing bin that stays empty for the 27th time that day...or making yet another peanut-butter and jelly sandwich...or whipping up some cupcakes, cookies, or dinner...she doesn't have time! cause i'm sure the kids done done something with the apron anyway! not to mention...does she want to spill bleach on the apron? does she want it covered with juice, jelly or milk?

slump-a-dinka...knows that she can "pull-it together" when she needs to. but while she is homeschooling, cooking, baking, painting, sewing, grocery shopping, carrying the kids to practice, gardening, cleaning dirty noses, putting band-aids on yet another "ouie," making dinner, washing clothes, blogging...

her focus is "getting it done" and she' knows she's just "keeping it real."

so that's what its about...keeping it real, sharing and saying...

i may not look like it...but! i got it going on...cause i'm taking care of home...and this is what it looks like.

me and nina often...while video im'ing fashionably model our slump-a-dinka 'fits for eachother...proudly. we love ourselves and eachother...with our scarfs...or bras from the breast feeding days (two years ago), or "man-beaters" and boxers...or (not pink) sweatpants from wal-mart or tar-jay....or "recycled" outdated fashion clothes from before kids when we could afford to buy clothes...every season.

you'll often catch me in tank dresses from high-school, 13 years ago, e's boxers, old t-shirts that have so many holes e has begged me to throw them away...and the winter...oh the winter it gets worse.

my wonderful grandmother has even contributed to my slump-a-dinka-ness. just last month while i was visiting her she gave me a *few mu-mu's and blanket dresses for the winter. she even *bought* me a matching pink and black track-suit (label free) for when i want to "look nice."

i'll leave you with three pictures taken from phootobooth on my mac. all different days...

before the locks...i wore a scarf all day...every day. this is me waking up in bed. no make-up. nothing. (as if that's something new...i consider chapstick make-up...its all i add)

a few months ago, judging by the locks probably feb. middle day, the mess behind me that the kids re-make daily. this is in the kitchen.

this is me...right now. and yes that is the same tank-top that i had on in this post, just a few days ago. i haven't worn it everyday...but i recycled it last night...before it gets washed, might as well get some use out of it. this is in my sewing room/studio. the kids made a mess in here last night while i was sleeping.

i have more pictures to share...i'm thinking i'm going to start a photo album. sounds like a good idea to me. me and nina plan on having a slump-a-dinka posting day every week...maybe you'll join us.

next up?

the slump-a-dinka house...yeap you know what i'm talking about..what your house really looks like. we've talked about that too. hince "the imperfect home" kinda of like "litttle corners of my home" but a bit more real and raw...

we'll talk about that in another post.

okay...time to get out of my slump-a-dinka wears, eat breakfast, and go do my saturday errands...

lots more to come later...but until then, be comfortable...and keep it real!

paz,

ki

p.s. i've got some home-schooling stuff to share too...and maybe be baking up something special today...stay tuned!

got squash? want a recipe?

"jimenez family garden burger"

you all know by now that my squash is in abundance...

so i've been finding inventive ways of cooking up the yummy veggie so that we won't get tired of it. this is one of the recipes that i came up with...and the first thing out of e's mouth, after his first bite was "this is amazing" and the kids "i like this."

this is an awesome "burger" that's full of veggie goodness and has a subtle sweetness that only summer squash can impart. it keeps and reheats well...and is easy as pie to make.

wanna try it out? head on over to fromscratch for the recipe. i promise you its worth the time (about 30 minutes) and the ingredients (squash, bread, flour, 1 egg...and seasonings).

coming up next....zucchini bread with a twist.

i gotta make some more...because the one i made got eaten before i could snap pictures...no kidding!

enjoy...

paz,

ki

an affinity for color...

all colors.

recently i've fallen in love with the color blue. funny thing is i always said i was not a blue girl, but aqua and other beautiful hues have been romancing my eyes lately and i find myself admiring blue.

dyeing buckets on my bathroom vanity following a dyeing session

but, that leads me to a discussion on color.

i don't think i have any one particular favorite color. i love all shades of yellow the most currently, previously it was pink...and of course green and browns and whites have long been favorites of mine. but as i allow blue to color my world i realize something.

i love color.

color makes my heart beat fast...sometimes i find myself holding my breath when i stumble upon a color or combination of beautiful colors.

what about you? do you favor a color or are you like me and find yourself saying "yeah i like that color" to every color of the crayon box your little one holds up to you while coloring and asking "do you like this color mommy?" i guess i can attributed this newly found self-knowledge to my soon to be 4-yr. old. it never fails that while coloring, drawing, painting or doodling on his leapster he'll ask my opinion for a color...and like him i seem to like them all.

i appreciate color.

with that said...i've got some dyeing progress.

seems to run in the family, 'cause like my sis nina i stayed up last night till about 3 am...dyeing fabric. how wonderful of super husband e to help me out...he was awesome (thanks babe!)

i don't know what time i started...just that i didn't eat dinner until 12 am (a very skimpy 1 slice sandwich) and that i was done around 2:30 not including taking a few pics and making sure i washed any dye splashes off me before jumping in the bed.

i think i'm holding off with batiking for a bit...i really wanna know that i can mix and combine colors...and then, when the time is right i'll go back and batik that which i dye. seems like a plan. i hope so, i have 30 yards to play with...

so here is what i dyed up:

7 swatches of hand dyed fabric. each 1/2 yard 100% mercerized cotton

the colors from left to right:

1. bubblegum (personal mix)
2. dough (personal mix)
3. ripe papaya (personal mix)
4. heart (dharma mix ox-blood red)
5. squash blossom (dharma mix palomino gold)
6. ecru (dharma mix ecru)
7. vanilla (dharma mix ivory)

some of the colors were ready made blends available from dharma trading co. and a few of them were my own color experiments. i don't really have any formulas, and not much know-how as mixing colors from dyes with cyan, magenta and yellow are very different from mixing colors with paint primaries blue, red and yellow. for one the dyes are transparent which means you lighten with water or less dye, and two there is a huge difference from cyan and ultramarine blue and red and basically fushia/magenta. either way, i'm enjoying the process and hope to be able to really create some pretty colors by the end of the summer.

the colors dyed pretty evenly not really a noticeable blotch in site, which is pretty good considering i was trying to dye all seven baths at the same time. you need to stir constantly for the first 15 minutes, and then every five minutes thereafter. this teaches me a lesson on being so ambitious, i think i'll stick to two or three dye baths at a time (having e there to stir made it all possible).

the other thing i learned during this session is leaving the colors to sit in the dye bath longer creates much more deeper hues. this is something to note as some of the colors i didn't necessarily want so bold deep. for example with the #3 i was trying to create an apricot color...close...but way to bold and deep.

i have to say that i am happy that i did buy the mixes for #'s 6 & 7 as i would imagine it hard to dye such wonderful light colors. these would be excellent starting points for batik. i find myself not really wanting to keep the white in the fabric "white" these two would be excellent for batik "whites."

this process of mixing colors and dyeing just "off the cuff" is really exciting and liberating...not knowing what shade is going to appear...and then watching it develop...kind of the same feeling i used to get in the darkroom developing film when i took photography. there is something so exciting about watching colors appear. to even take it one step further, once the fabric is rinsed, washed and rinsed again...the colors are so dark, but hold on 'cause when they dry yet another surprise as they lighten up when dry. think wet jeans vs. dry jeans.

wet fabric

dried fabric

may not be as noticeable in the photographs but the wet fabric was more bold almost neon-like, while the dried fabric had a bit of a more softer value to it which took away that neon bold look. the colors are definitely still bold though.

do i like the colors?

i have to be honest as the colors deepened and turned more neon looking as they sat in the dye bath i felt a bit discouraged as i liked them when they were a bit lighter, however now, once dried i do like them and find their boldness kinda refreshing. i'm imagining what i can do with them and how they'll make other colors sing.

that's the thing about color...the melodies that they create together. some colors are soloist...some make others shine brighter. i guess that's why i find myself liking all the colors in the crayon box, because i can see it for its potential and i can imagine all the other colors it'll make shine. or, with some of the exceptions it just shines alone.

dyeing today

so today, again i'm obsessed with dyeing. i want another go at it. i plan on focusing on blues and greens and plan on starting much earlier, especially since i already have my dye concentrates mixed. soon as e gets home, i'll throw on my overalls and get to whipping up some color....until then? i got about 45 minutes to give the kids a snack, rinse all of my dye stuff and do a little bit of gardening (checking for snails, damage, disease, weeds, pest and veggies ready to pick). i am happy to report that we will have our first harvest soon, maybe even tonight. we have some really nice sized peppers, lots of baby squash (which i want to eat young, but i want them big too), and one green roma tomato. in addition our concord grapes are turning purple (me and e thought they were dyeing dying for a day) and we have tons of lemon buds. the blackberry is hanging in there as it had a rough couple of weeks with that last severe heat wave we had that accidentally coincided with our planting them, wish i could say the same for the edamame..its on it last legs it seems. ooh...and looks like the corn is starting to come in too!

okay enough blabbing i've got 40 minutes now! gotta go!

hope your having a colorful day! lots of love...

paz,

ki

are u afraid of heights?

*note, this post was originally created a week ago...and sat in my drafts folder...i don't know why.

i am, and i'm claustrophobic too. this means i don't do elevators, which means hundreds of stairs to climb to get to art classes, with heavy supplies and i don't fly...and i am a very bad passenger to have sitting next to you while you drive up steep clifs and things of that nature.

what does that have to do with this evening's post?

conquering fear.

no, i didn't get in an elevator...though sometimes i have to. no i didn't go on a road trip which required e driving up a steep mountain (at least not recently) and no i haven't flown back to portland to spend time with my beautiful sister nina since my last trip in '01 (which was actually a layover on my journey to salt lake for my americorps training)

but i am in the process of conquering a fear. an art related fear.

technically it started almost 2 years ago...but out of fear i put it off. i signed up for a class with quilt university, only to have the class cancelled...after my materials were shipped to me...so out of fear of doing it myself, i sent all the materials back. sighed and fussed. and figured it was a sign.

i whimped out.

but last week me and nina were talking about our joint fear, and said..."let's do it!" lets do it together. and we took a sisterly vow to go it together, conquer our collective fear...that we've collectively feed together...enabling eachother...and to "just do it" this summer.

dyeing

i'm conquering my fear of chemicals, and soda ash, urea and procion mx fiber reactive dyes...all those chemically sounding words...and formulas and safety warnings...and must dos...yeap i'm conquering it all this summer.

i didn't like chemistry in h.s. i loved a.p. physics and calculus...but chemistry...sigh...i didn't enjoy it.

so last week when i went ghost...and you didn't hear a peep out of ki...i was working. working to clean out my garage and create a "space" for me to dye. i decided instead of talking about it here first...i'd be about it down in my garage first. so we did it. we conquered a garage filled with ten years of "stuff" and more baby clothes and baby "stuff" along with junk and a old non-cooling refrigerator (which is still waiting a pick up).

i didn't take before pictures, because honestly i was too damn embarrassed of that pack-rat's paradise to share. but i do have some pictures now.

the new dye studio. lots of repurposed furniture...and collections of storage containers and things

my view from the "main" desk...notice the hearts on the fence outside the window?

this shot includes the kids painting "area" its in the fore front on the right side.

i don't have many pictures thus far...it is still very much a work in-progress. there is still a large area of the garage that has "stuff" that has to be donated (that goodwill didn't take, i.e. baby stuff) and some trash that needs to be dumped next week....and of course tons of papers to be shredded.

but all and all me and the kids, thus far, have a pretty nice size section to work with that is right off the entryway to the house and to the backyard. technically i didn't have to "share" the space with the kids, but i figured if i gave them a "space" of there own...i'd be better able to work during the day...and not just when e comes home. an addition i really want to give them a "freedom to mess around" space...where they can actually paint on the walls, spill paint, etc. and not have to worry. that's the only reason that the old "garage carpet" stayed down there.

lucky for me the previous owner of our home ran a homeschool out of the garage and completely refinished it with drywall, a/c, carpet and dozens of little white bookshelves. it was one of the main selling points for me when we bought the home...as i knew i'd one day be able to turn it into a studio. it isn't completely a studio, it can still hold 2 cars (well if it didn't have the other stuff)...but its fine for me now.

all in due time

sometimes things unfold...or stop unfolding and its hard to make heads or tails of it all. but, the more days pass, the more that i realize "all in due time." many times i've had big or lofty dreams that seemed or felt so far away or unachievable or doable...and its a bit discouraging...off-putting...but with time a better way, or easier way presents itself. maybe its a lesson of patience, i'm not quite sure...but i know what i've learned is that sometimes we have to tuck away a desire, a passion...a possibility for another day. kinda like saving for a rainy day...

...when the rain falls, the earth is nourished and growth becomes of it.

another lesson in acceptance, and living in the now under my belt. you know in making the leap of faith and investing almost all the money i've earned the past few months working for the museum...i couldn't help but think of my grandmother...and of life. and i thought...live. i told myself to live...no regrets and leave no rock unturned...no passion or desire unexplored. i thought of her and her strength and i thought...she'd ask me "what am i scared of?"

so...i'm doing it, exploring and upturning another rock i've discovered along my path.

what are you going to explore this summer...?...this life?

dream big...even if you have to tuck it away for a rainy day...

i hope to have more pics and stuff in the next few days of the dye studio as it comes along...

paz,
ki

me and my sis...

ever hear me talking about my sis nina?

ever wonder if we are real sister's?

ever wonder why she's in the north and i'm in the south?

ever wonder why i say we are on the phone 24/7 literally?

ever wonder why i say we are twins? no really?

ever wonder what's the story of our sisterhood?

ever wonder what we talk about for 4-6 hours a day, sometimes more 5-6 days a week for the past 5 years?

well, wonder no more me and my best sister/friend are launching something new...a collective blog of our conversations, our synchronized baking/sewing/crafting projects...and we are letting the world in! all your questions will be answered.

it's going to be wonderful...come join us with all are crazy antics, conversations, shenanigans...and inside jokes.

the new crafty, baking, sewing "berman & berman" as e has been calling us for the past few years!

come experience our sisterhood!

link coming soon...stay tuned!