queJimenez...a pieced and quilted life

happy, happy birthday son

4 years ago, me, e & yali's life changed forever...

our family of 3 became 4. our lil guy has brought us much laughter with his incredible wit and sense of humor. he's showered us with love and way too many kisses with his insatiable desire to give love.

I'm so happy he's me and e's son and yali's brother...

we're on our way to l.a. to celebrate with family... eating lots of batman cake (that took me about 7+ hours to make).

hope you have a beautiful day, i'll spend the day soaking up 4 yr. old love..

*i'll be back later with quality pictures, this pic and post is being done on the iphone while driving the 60 freeway (e's driving).

paz,

ki

if i made clothes...

its hard to say just what they would be...like.

i love handmade clothes that look hand-made. give me layers and movement, textures, patterns and colors. give me art...that feels good, looks sexy...yet doesn't overly state the point. give me slump-a-dinka sexy/cute

i've made a few things for myself...and i'm thinking about *sharing? take a look...

(*that means selling)

baby doll dress...

this dress i love...i'll have to have e take a picture of me in it. it is really big, sort of long on me...comes to my knees or a little below, but the waist tie cinches it in, and gives it definition at the waist. it falls off the shoulders (80's flash style) and gives a lot of shoulder skin...enough to be sexy, but not to much.

its something i could paint in, run around in...yet still feel comfortable (slumpa dinka style) and somewhat sexy. it can be layered over leggings, long t's, tank tops, jeans...

a little art...

i love mexican embroidered flowers...on clothes...here's my take.

a little funk-tion...

the stitching line belt...gives it definition...but also makes it funky...

clearly wearing my heart on my sleeve!:

the first experiment...i never got around to doing more to it...i kinda like it plain

what's the use of having a big tender heart...if you don't display it?

and finally my love affair with flowers...vines...leaves...

embelishing a tee...

thread painted, hand colored and dyed...i bet you can't tell i dyed this tee ecru can you?

i love the leaves on the neckline...e asked before i put it on...will that work? 

men? after i put it on..."it works" i tell him..."of course it would!"

this was taken from this painting...

painting still waiting to get finished!

my house is covered with vines...so they always serve as some sort of metaphor...in my work...

the outside of my living room...

a different vine is growing up along my bedroom window...and i've layed in my bed and watched hummingbirds come and feed in the tubular flowers...how can i not be inspired?

can i make clothes that are an extension of my art?

i've been wrestling with the idea for quite some time...my bags were my first approach...and somehow i'm learning how to translate it into clothes. 

sometimes i ask myself if i have the patience to learn how to "make-clothes," you know draft my own patterns, drape..etc. and i always answer no. (from somebody who use to want to be an architect? construction is construction)

but!

recently i found a local college (about 30-35 minutes away) that not only offers an assoiciates in studio arts (which i'm definitely doing yay!) but also offers a degree in clothing construction. pattern making, draping, textiles...you name it the whole enchilada.

all morning while working on bags...i argued with myself like a mad woman. literally talking aloud...yes...ki why not...no ki...you love art...yes ki you can make "art clothes"...no ki you don't have the patience...yes ki...you can learn anything.

i came to the conclusion, that i would finish up the art degree first ( i only need 5 art classs) and then, once i have (re-taken) all my g.e.'s i'll spend a year or two studying clothing construction.

but honestly, even as i type this...i'm scared. i don't want to move away from painting and i'm scared i would. i don't want to deal with snooty fashionistas 'cause i could care less about designers...etc. i don't want to deal with the competition...i'm not trying to be a designer...i just want to know how to turn art into clothes. find another avenue to be creative that can maybe relieve the financial pressure off e in hard times like now.

i just want to be an artist.

i think of how picasso worked across so many mediums...from painting to sculpture, gouache to oils...you name it. i think to myself...i can work across mediums...can't i? make jewelry and paintings, clothes and bags, acrylic and linoprints...quilts and photography...ceramics...why not?

what does it mean to be an artist...to me ?...to create. to create art. to create with a purpose. period.

one medium influences another. i've seen it happen within my work. within others.

at the end of all that...i still don't know...i'm "fly by night" when it comes to creating...i follow my heart and instincts...some times that means this...sometimes that. i may just do like e says and take a class...if i like it? take another...and so on. worse case scenario...i learn how to draft a pattern or drape. heck draping comes in handy in painting. 

so in the end...

if i made clothes...they would be art. may not be your fancy...my only tickle mines...but they would have to be a piece of art. art is subjective...so is fashion.

i like art, i don't particularly like "fashion"...i could care less. 

"here we go yo, here we go yo. so what's the what's the scenereo...a yo bo ki know this, and bo ki knows that...but bo ki don't know jack cause bo ki can't rap..."

just call me bo jackson...however i did use to rap in my college days...freestyle with the guys...don't let me dig up some pictures....

time to go put on my teaching hat...

paz,

ki

i got a question for you? what are your talents...in a dream world what crazy things do you do..that you'd love to combine?

(did i just write an essay? i guess school is rubbing off on me)

flashback!

me and e...on vacation in slo celebrating our 2 or third anniversary...matter of fact this was my 25th birthday

my locks were about 3 years old...just a few months shy of three years. that white thing is a cowry shell that stayed on my lock along with some other lock adornments.

taken a year before i cut them, and also about 2 months before i got pregnant with yael. we knew this was our last trip before we had kids...but we thought we would still get up to SLO yearly when we had the kids...it was where we had our honeymoon...and was the way we celebrated every year...

yeah that didn't happen.

this is a picture we developed and matted in a photography class we took together. that was a lot of fun...

paz,

ki

sneak peak...

this morning instead of homework (shame on me!) i got into my sewing studio and started "streamlining" my bags...

here is where i'm at so far...

 

100% linen...quilted in my "lotus leaf" pattern.

i still have to press it and actually sew the handles on (they're pinned on here).

all the linen bags will be quilted in an all-over pattern like this or diagonal...

i also made one out of a nice heavy velour...but the velour is too heavy to quilt...

i tweaked the design and i'm very happy with the changes, it allows me to make them faster, and adds more room inside...i haven't decided if i will include the pocket or not...if i don't i'm considering adding a large coin purse that can hang inside off the handle...

okay i'm back to work...i'm making some dresses i may be selling too. i have to hurry as i got homework to do too!

what you think?

paz,

ki...busy bee

opening soon: quejimenez sweatshop

i'm going back into production.

i'm dusting of the sewing machine, gathering all my fabric...getting my leather tools sharpened and jumping back into my sweatshop.

i mentioned a few post ago that i was asked to participate in an upcoming show...and asked to also participate in this month's upcoming arts walk..

this time, however i think i'm going to also make things available here online too.

i have a few decisions to make this go round though...

issue #1:

times are hard! no ones any more familiar than my family of four that times are hard and finances are a bit tighter this year...i know this means we all have less money for "extras." unfortunately when times are hard, art and accessories are the first to go.

solution #1:

with that in mind, i'm lowering my prices. i'm going to try and streamline my work a bit (ask e for help), and also take out a lot of the extra designs and make my bags a little more "basic or everyday" to make them more affordable to make and sell.

issue #2:

what changes can i make that can lower the production time to keep it doable for me, and more affordable to my customers?

solution #2:

considering doing away with the interchangeability. instead of making the bags interchangeable, which requires vintage buttons ($$) and an extra hour or more per bag in construction...i can make the bags "stand alone," save time and materials...but still keep the look of the bag the same.

*interchangeable bags will be available as special orders

cutting back on fabric scouting, and special fabrics by using 100%  linen fabric, that comes in a wide array of dyed colors. this way each bag is reproducible, and the fabric can be bought in bulk saving time, and maybe money (well maybe not that much). 

*speciality bags will still be available....here and there but will probably fewer and a bit more costly depending on the design

have e do the preliminary cuts in the leather...i'll have him do the first round of cutting of the handles, and from there i'll assemble them, and hand mold and dye them.

issue #3:

time?! how and where will i find the time?

solution #3:

i'm dropping a class. luckily i realized this weekend that one of the classes i was taking i actually didn't need to take...so i can drop it which makes a tremendous difference in my schedule. two of the class i'm taking is short-term classes, which means they are crammed into 2 months instead of 4...so as of the end of october...i'll only be in one class.

some of my linen collection

i have a wide range of 100% flax linen, in some of the most beautiful colors! the browns are really beautiful if you love natural colors.

i have other fabrics as well that range from beautiful prints, and japanese imports to soft and plush velour in beautiful winter colors.

i know its going to be a lot of work...but still i can't help but be excited to see what i'll dream up in my studio with my music blaring.

i'm currently listening to this:

raphael, the way i see it

and:

darius rucker, back to then

there is nothing like good music to get me in the "zone."

in between it all...i'm going to find some time to paint...

"i think i can, i think i can, i think i can..."

i'd love to hear any feedback on the direction of the bags...what do you want out of a handmade bag these days? does interchangeability make a difference?

oh and i will also be selling and maybe making some more deconstructed bags, and my current favorite bag, a square "do all" bag...more on those as i take pictures...and make more!

okay off to homeschool for the day...the little ones are ready!

paz,

ki

i'm just rambling yall...deep in thought

i'm really just dropping in to say hi...i miss my blog.

last week i tried to get out of the box, and get out of the house for one night...and spent a night catching up with my best friend from jr. high school (she ran into my aunt at the fill-up station..my aunt used to keep her daughter...and my aunt passed my number to her). today, and the past few days i'm playing catch up with homework...

it was good catching up with someone i go back to pre-menses days...funny thing is i started mines at her house during a sleep over, and two weeks later, she started hers while i was at her house for a sleep over. i should be honest and not call it a sleep over...as we lived blocks from each other and stayed at each other's house...mostly hers because my brother was meaner and older, and her's was younger and well...easily to control.

but anyway...like i said its always interesting catching up with old friends. i find that it always makes me self-analyze, sometimes that's good and sometimes that's bad. well maybe its always good. i guess i use it as a tool for measuring my growth.

not my growth against the friend, but my growth from who i used to be. i find when we talk to friends, relatives from the past, we sometimes, most times retreat back to who we were...if even for a second or so.

and, yeah i guess we retreated back to our younger selves for bit...reminiscing on 7th and 8th grade...and both of us overly-stating that 8th grade was the best year of our educating lives.

what was your best year in school? why?

for me it was most definitely 8th grade. i was "in-like love" with brandon, a tall, basketball player who was incredibly smart...and really as sweet as boys get. no really he was really sweet. very kind and thoughtful. he was my first boyfriend, and well at that time denishia was my first real "best friend" you know the first time you really know what a best friend is. well she was the girlfriend of marvin, whom also happened to be my other best friend, and eventually brandon's too. so there you had it the four of us, best friends.

i wish i could go on about those days...but i won't. i will leave you with the one thing, me, brandon, and denishia still talk about (yes, me and brandon are still friends...he's happily married with children).

the day my mom caught me hugging brandon. yeap an innocent hug, that my mom happened to witness, when i should of been at my grandmother's house...but was trying to be clever and not let my mom know that i got out of school 40 min. early that day.

my mom was so strict that yes, hugging brandon was a crime. and i was grounded. forever. and she hated brandon all through the 8th and 9th grade that we were "friends." that is "friends" until the social politics of high school broke up our "friendship."

little did she know, brandon was the most innocent, sweet guy around.

getting back to the point...8th grade was wonderful because, i learned a lot about what a good friendship was...with girls and guys. my friendship with denishia, brandon, and marvin was top-notch...and we four did everything together...we had a lot of fun...lots of laughs...

i think it was the first time that i realized that i was becoming my own person, and that i wasn't going to just be my mother's daughter for ever. i was making my own decisions of who i was becoming and who with. i think that year i sort of solidified the woman i would aspire to be. in a weird, young way. it was when i fell in love with me. it was when i started to see glimpses of the funny, talky, nerdy, quirky yet cool woman i am today.

i was cool...yet nerdy. head-strong yet open. corny and quirky...yet individual and proud. i started to pull away from the "crowd" and stand strong in who i was. i think that's when i stopped being shy...if i ever was...and started learning how to project who i was...when i wanted.

it took me another four years or so to perfect me...high school saw me break away from even denishia and brandon, terri and leslie (my closest friends from jr. high) not because of any other reason besides i was doing my thing and committed to me. i wanted to take a.p. classes and study during lunch, i wanted to work and make my own money. i wanted to shop at thrift stores and wear off-beat clothes. going to a urban ghetto school...this made me a bit of an outsider...yet it was because i choose to be. because i didn't want to try and fit in...and yet and still...i wasn't trying to fit out.

i was just being ki.

so i look back at those times, that girl...and i see how all those things molded me. i am grateful for those early friendships and 8th grade...

i am also happy to be the kind of person that can maintain friendships...from years ago. i may not talk to them everyday, week or month...but they are still a part of my life...a part of the fabric of me. i can still draw on them and my relationships with them...

maybe i'm just sugar-coating the truth...i find it hard to let go of meaningful people. not all friendships last a lifetime...i've lost some really good friends...to nothing really, but life's circumstances.

it is a really painful experience for me. i weave meaningful people into my life and the fabric of who i am. i paint them into my reality, my soul...i allow them...to take a piece of me...i give.

it is hard to let that go. and i'm currently struggling with the realization of that.

yeap...recently i've lost a friend...sort of kinda of...really.

unfortunately i've told e that because of it, i'm giving up and not having "new friends" anymore...that i was going to shut myself down and only allow those who remained before to stay...but shut the door on any new possibilities.

i wonder...if i can.

the truth is its still too new and raw to be certain. i want to say that i'm not jaded...but i dunno...i know that i am.

either way...catching up with old friends this week, and in the weeks since i've lost a "new friend" has provided me with at least a hope that i won't close up shop...but i'm still not sure.

i can share this...its all prompted me to re-visit painting...and i'm finding some solace in painting these last few months. 

in the end...it all remains to be seen...life is constantly renewing itself...folding and unfolding...i just hope that mines folds and unfolds and then folds again into some beautiful piece of origami when its all over...

i hope all those creases and folds, hills and valleys...morph themselves into a beautiful piece of art called my life.

paz,

ki...

on my easel...

i decided to treat myself this evening to...

a few hours of painting.

i had a "rough" day, i hesitate to say rough because in all honesty it beats those long days working for the county.

i started my day with reading a chapter and taking the quiz, which was difficult (but i still got a 100%...yay!), but then i went downstairs to get a jump start on the day while the kids were still sleeping...and man oh man... 

i had my work cut out for me. usually when i'm doing a lot of homework, which i was doing sunday night, e will take care of the kitchen and schoolroom so that i have a clean slate to work with. but! he had to study up on an upcoming exam and yeah...i had my work cut out for me.

so after cleaning up for almost two hours, and then feeding the kids, teaching the kids, feeding the kids again, etc. etc. etc. i was beat by the time e came home. but! i had to finish up a homework assignment.

'bout time i finished it i was ready to relax...my computer eyes...so i grabbed my brush, opened up my palette and jumped up on my wood panel.

i started this painting sunday morning...but i can't lie...it was going down fast. i didn't want to look at it when i woke up this morning.

i'm happy to report, that despite now having painting eyes (dry, tired eyes from not blinking) i'm happy with where i'm at right now.

she still has a bit of a ways to go before she's close to the other...but i know i'm on the right track. 

i love waking up to my work on the easel just 3 feet away. it inspires me, it helps me to correct mistakes that somehow evade me and somehow start to show with time. but more than anything i find myself falling in love with my work...more intensively over time. its hard to explain...they really become an extension of me...and as i work on them...i began to incorporate more of my everyday life into them.

kinda like diaries in progress...i dunno...hard to explain.

i know i'm not much of a blogger these days...bare with me...i'm trying to get my new schedule together. not to mention...i'm really striving for high marks in my classes.

i told my mom today...i really want to graduate with my degree with honors. its really import to me. she says..."i have no doubt that you will do it too." thanks mama...

i was talking to nina yesterday, and we (well probably i) was talking about my determination to get a 4.0 each semester. i was sharing with her, how its so different now for me. because this education that i'm striving to get is purely for me. i know that "technically" i don't have to work (unless i want more than what my e can provide) and even if i do work, it doesn't have to be a "career" it can be what ever i want it to be...so that takes the pressure away from doing that which you don't want to do in higher education...at least for me.

so this here that i'm doing...

i'm doing for me. for me and me only. and it feels good. just like creating now...i'm doing it for me now. for me and me only. and it too feels good.

so now my painting eyes...have turned back into computer eyes...so i'm off...to watch the view from this morning...and fall asleep pissed by the foolishness that is elizabeth. i can't stand her these days. they need to have me up at that table...she wouldn't be able to stand the heat i tell you.

okay enough...

must rest my eyes!

paz,

ki

senate bill 1738

in the midst of my day of test taking, studying, writing codes, home educating my kids and making dinner...i sat down to catch today's oprah.

i'm urging, begging each and everyone of you to stand up and do something...today.

today.

senate bill 1738, is a bill to put the funding behind our law enforcement to be able to capture online child predators.

i could barely watch the show, i couldn't stop the tears...knowing...seeing that these people are out there harming our children is gut wrenching, and painful.

senate bill 1738 will:

• authorize more than $320 million over the next five years to fund law enforcement for investigating child exploitation
• mandate child rescue as a top priority for officers receiving federal dollars. 
• make funds available for high-tech computer software that can track and catch internet predators   

this is important, we as mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends need to protect our children.

i am lucky, i get to spend (every)day like today with my children nurturing, teaching them and watching and protecting them. not all mothers, parents and care-takers of children are able to do this. some of us must trust our children in the care of others, and despite the most protective and loving parents/caretakers that we are, we cannot see, and know everything. we cannot be everywhere.

yet, we can protect and stand up for our children...by helping to pass this law.

here's what you can do:

contact your senator, and let them know to pass the senate bill 1738-the protect our children act.

how do you do this? call, write, email, fax, telegram. 

go to www.senate.gov and find the contact information for your state senator. which ever way you choose, make sure you 

1. act now, we have literally days to contact them

2. let them know to pass senate bill 1738 before they take a recess

if you need a letter to email...go to oprah.com to get more information, and a sample letter to cut and paste into an email, or snail mail.

let's show these predators that we are not taking it...let's take our children's lives back. we can stand together, and stand strong and send the message out that...it's over!

we can do this!!

paz,

ki

*all information taken from oprah.com and the oprah show that aired today, September 15, 2008

political crafting...

showing my support...through my love of quilting.

click on continue reading for more views of my tee.

ike, don't mess with texas!

i hope with all my heart that those of you in the path of "ike" heed the warnings and evacuate. 

my hearts are with you, and my prayers are that things make a turn for the better. but despite all our hopes and prayers, we have to keep in mind the lesson from katrina. i've never heard the news reporters speak of a hurricane in this way, and they've never heard forecast so grim. 

my family has roots in moscow, texas, just 90 miles from houston...so i know i have kin somewhere out there in the path.

again...my hearts go out to all of you along the se texas coast. 

i'd like to tell "ike" "don't mess with texas."

"don't mess with texas!"

lots of love to all of you...

paz,

ki

"its called punking out"

i can't hide from the truth.

i. am. tapped. out. i have been completely exhausted. completely. homeschooling (including a 3-yr old boy with mucho energy is no punk!) and meschooling (11.5 units) has me spent.

i had an eye appointment this afternoon, because, as of the last couple of weeks i've been having some serious "eye-headaches." that's what i call them. they are headaches in my eyeballs.

is it just that my two year insurance-induced commitment to these frames and lenses were up on the 1 ^st of september, or is it something else.

if you guessed something else, you were right. computer eyes. apparently i need "computer and painting" glasses. did you know there was such a thing? i sure didn't, but when he held the prescription up to my eyes while i was reading the chart at arm's distance....instant eye pleasure. my eyes felt like he was lovingly massaging them.

so there. thanks to blogging and online classes, and web designing and painting and quilting...i need yet another pair of glasses! good thing i like mis lentes.

but! this post is not about mis lentes. to be honest i don't know what its about, besides a visual catch-up of the last week or so of my life.

again, let me be honest here...i'm entirely too tired to write a coherent post...

i'm talking to nina, right now, and we are commiserating on the fact that we've been too tired to post...yet we want to post, but there is just to much to say...where do we start? 

pictures...i told her...just do pictures...

"its called punking out" -ki to nina.

so i'm about to punk out...and upload my post...in pictures...

my studying area...the bed. about 8 a.m.

my lil lady coloring on her first day of kindergarten

the little guy on his first day of kindergarten

learning how to cut (better)

mykey blowing off steam by throwing up a pillow and catching it...after running laps. don't mind my recycling bag hanging up there...i try to keep that out of the pictures.

their first assignment...a bit of a math review. notice the little guy insist on writing "mykey" which is what he insists on being called also.

three pumpkins from our garden...

the butternut squash growing...

black eye peas drying on the vine

showing their enthusiasm for school on their first day...

doing homework/review with papi in the evening

portrait drawing in art class

working on her portrait...but using two crayons at the same time

"celebrating school" cake. vegan vanilla cake w/ coconut vanilla frosting...and sprinkles and a cherry on top (special request of the kids)

 

world maps made in history (learning the 7 continents)

i can't believe he's almost 4

and she's almost 6. "reading" the american girl catalog. she wants addy for christmas, this week.

whew!

that's a *few snapshots of what's been going on in my new world.

what you don't see is me, all dressed-down, learning my kids in a new way. teaching your own children is definitely a rewarding but difficult experience. there is so much that i want to say...but i haven't quite found a way (or the time) to put it all in words. 

maybe its because of all the information that is floating around in my brain. 

my days. haven't changed, if anything they've gotten a bit more hectic. 

saturation is coming up, and they've asked me to participate again this year, which i gladly will do...so that means i need to find some time to sew up some bags...and also finish the paintings i've been working on by november 1st.

the good thing?

i'm learning a lot in my web designing classes and i think i may be able to do my own website soon, very soon. exciting! 

i really need to get back to my homework...so i'm signing off.

paz,

kiandra

*by the way, if i'm slow to get back at you, or post a comment...please excuse me, i'm working so hard...so, so, so hard. its taken me 2 days just to do this post.

lurking on my own blog...

well, i guess i'm not...but then again...

i am so busy! i started classes tues. and yesterday the kids had their first day of school.

(let me catch my breath)

my day yesterday:

7:30 am-10:30 am reading two chapters and taking a quiz for theater class
10:30- 11:00 don't remember
11:00-11:30 eating with the kids (must of been cleaning up with the kids last 30 minutes)
11:30-12:00 getting ready to home school...gathering materials, calender...etc.

12:00-2:15 homeschooling...we did math (about a hour and a half) and then phonics (about 45 minutes)
2:15-2:45 ate lunch snack...chatted with e while he ate lunch

2:50/3:00-4:00 homeschooling...we did history
4:05-4:40 recess...we played outside in the heat!

4:50-7:20 i was doing homework for my web creation class

7:30-8:50 making and eating dinner (pancakes! to celebrate our first day)

9:00-11:00 more homework...still working on project for web creation class

1:30 sleep

* i also talked to nina from about 7:00 untill i fell asleep around 1:30 am. we had a lot of catching up to do! she's been out of town for a few weeks!

so this schedule is why there are no quality posts coming from me. but i got pictures and i'm hoping to do a post sometime soon...meaning later today when we get done...in between homework somewhere.

so far...

i'm loving it...nothing like being busy! but we still got to get used to it all and all.

i'll be back soon...today's schedule is the same as yesterday's so you can guess where i'm at in my day!

paz,

ki

p.s. there is a post over here in case you haven't seen it yet.

ahh, i got so much to say...when will i get a chance to share it all?!? sometime soon hopefully.

shutter click n chat: favorite shoes

favorite shoes?

i got two pairs:

oh lovely earthy shoes...how i love thee!

simple shoes...about $90 from wholefoods.

grrr...these bring out the wild lady in me...

no not really...i don't need shoes for that...
gap leopard flats...about $10 on sale from the gap.

my only regret is that i didn't buy 5 of these...but they only had one pair...so i couldn't.

notice anything? yeap the same jeans in both pictures. i have one pair of jeans that fits. one. everytime i go to find another pair...i think i love these too much...they are 2 years, 3 months old...yeap i remember the moment that i found them. $35 jeans that fit like heaven from nordstroms? and that's not on sale? love love.

paz,

ki

getting political!

this is going on a t-shirt for me...showing my support!

i've really tried to stay or shall i say keep my mouth shut about politics as much as possible here.

yeah i'm sure you know i'm a obama supporter, and contributer!

but i have to vent here tonight...so if i offend you...

sorry but its a free country! i'm sure your views will offend me too...but lets not hold it against each other.

let me start off by saying that i didn't begin as an obama supporter. nope, i was not on the obama wagon early on...i had to run, catch up, and jump aboard the wagon...in fact there wasn't much room by the time i was aboard.

but somewhere along the political trail i started to follow, and then believe.

i was a clinton supporter. and i still am.

so let me begin this rant with the "disclaimer" that i am a passionate supporter of women breaking the glass ceiling...i am a woman...and a proud woman at that!

but let me tell you...i am not on the support the palin bandwagon because she is a woman. just like i was not on the support the obama bandwagon because he is black.

i find it incredibly irresponsible of mccain to put her as his second hand...with as little experience as she has. yes technically she has "executive" experience, but in all honesty is running alaska the same as running the u. s. of a.? hell to the no!

her credentials include running the p.t.a. now don't get me wrong, i'm know that running the p.t.a. is no punk, i'm sure of that, but it in no way should be used to qualify someone for running for the v.p. position of the u.s. of a. yes she was the mayor of a *small town in alaska, but lets get real people, running a city of less than 10,000 ppl. (or somewhere in that neighborhood) in no way prepares you for running the u.s. of a. is there gangs in alaska, is there urban problems that we face here on the mainland in this small town? i mean come on...could she run new york, los angeles?

i'm not knocking her experience or saying that she is not an accomplished woman, she is, i concede that. but that doesn't in anyway qualify her for president.

i have one question?

would you vote for her for president?

than you shouldn't vote for her for veep. because as a veep you need to be ready to take that position on day one. period.

now lets get to the daughter...

i just have one thing to say...

why is it that when shaneska, maria, lupe, or some other poor, young girl gets pregnant and chooses to keep her baby is she not celebrated and regarded as a shero?

did we (society) not prosecute brittany's sister for her teenage pregnancy? no one was talking about how wonderful it is, how brave she is...how excellent her moral standards are.

are you kidding me? the first thing people were saying is:

where the hell was her mama!

so now when we call question to the palin family...its now a problem? i guarantee you the same standards are not held to any and all other young women out there who are carrying a child, and won't be shielded, supported, and protected by the republican conservatives.

do you think they care about my little cousin dawn-dawn...who had a teen pregnancy. oh wait, what about my cousin michelle, or wait what about all the other girls i knew in high school who had to drop out...like shante, or lashonda who was a freshmen in college.

of course not...these are the statistics that we frown upon, we say are bringing down our society...you know that "mtv culture" of our youth.

give me a break!

now we know why the daughter was holding the baby boy last friday...to hide their secret. if they were so proud...she should of made it known then...talked it up last friday...but of course not.

like d.l. hughley said last night on larry king live, there is not five people in that entire convention of thousands of people that represent me, my community, or the "urban" communities i know. there is no youth...no excitement...nothing there but the few bush supporters that are still left standing.

and one more thing!

if you think that us women who supported hillary, will support sarah...just because her name is sarah and not tim you got another thing coming!

i find that patronizing and offending to the many intelligent woman who supported senator clinton. to think that we who supported clinton would then give up all our strong beliefs to support palin just because she has a vagina is just wrong!

it is about more than sex, race or social class. its about making this country...

the u.s. to the a.

a better place...and healing the damage that has been done by the horrible bush/cheney reign.

she wants to break that glass ceiling...well she better create her own 18 million cracks...

i just can't wait for the republicans to shut up. they really aggravate me!

really.

you know who i feel sorry for...the guy that got bristol pregnant. now they are parading him on stage...now that they have to clean up that family values issue...but if you go to his myspace page...he says "i don't want any kids."

mc cain the turtle...well you really did it this time you maverick!

i could really go on...but this is not a blog about politics...so i'm going to leave it alone...i said what i had to say.

again....if i offend you...what can i say its not personal. these are just my opinions. everybody has them.

i'm about the poor people...the urban people...the middle of america people who are so often overlooked, like i tell e someone's gotta stand up!

and for the record...my brother whom i've shared a lot of political views with was once a republican...bush changed that!

trying to lower my blood pressure....

paz,

prayers to the gulf coast..

to all of my fellow americans in the path of gustav. my heart is with you, and i'm praying that this horrible weather prediction turns out to be much better than the estimates.

i cannot imagine having my family, my loved ones or friends in such a perilous situation.

i've never visited the big easy, but have always imagined that one day i would get to experience "mardi gras" in all is drama, and excitement. i've had friends from the area, and friends with family in the area.

i hope, and let's even go beyond hope. i'm counting on our government to pull it together and be there for our people.

in 2005, me and nina sat on the phone for days, hours watching cnn and crying our eyes out with the horror that was going on. neither one of us was at a place in our lives where we could do anything to help. but our hearts were there.

watching the people, watching the city it took me back...it took me back to my hometown of los angeles and i was instantly impacted. because like a lot of nola residents my family may have been a family to stay. in lots of "inner cities" where people have lived their whole lives there is a real resistance to just pick up and move, or pick up and leave. not to mention the resources.

i think of my grandmother whose life depends on being able to get tri-weekly medical treatments, whose health is fragile. i think of my mother who's tough and may have been reluctant to leave her house...along with my aunt and uncles, my cousins.

i am so optimistic that this year things will be different, that this year the government will not regard people's lives as dispensable, and that the people of nola will take heed and travel to higher, safer ground.

beyond it all my heart is with you. i send you my prayers...

paz,

ki

oh what a baking challenge!

a beautiful vegan cream puff...

let the challenges begin!

i woke up this morning, with a brilliant idea.

why not really challenge myself this month with the daring bakers challenge? why not make a movie of me doing my challenge?

and the real challenge?

get e in on it!

it's taken me all day...but! i did it...we filmed us (or me) baking up a storm, and all of our crazy antics and as we speak i'm uploading the looooooong video(s) into youtube...to share.

e was a bit (well a lot) resistant to the idea...but i think secretly he got a kick out of being a ham. see for yourself.

i will warn you...its loooooong. i'm not kidding when i tell you guys i talk a lot...see for yourself...and you can finally put a face and a voice to the blogger.

about the challenge:

first off i want to send a warm thank you to this months hosts tony tahhan and meeta k of what's for lunch honey for a wonderful challenge that really brought out the best in my baking muscles...really...mixing this dough is a good work out!

i had a lot of fun doing this challenge. it was actually a challenge. i made it two times, once the earlier part of the month, which didn't turn out too good. and then with a few changes thanks to shellyfish i got my second go round to be a success! and can i tell you how beautiful they look?

delicious!

check out pt. 4 to see for yourself!

the trick to getting vegan cream puffs/eclairs to rise is baking powder...and as i learned you gots to put enough! the first time i used 1/2 tsp. the second time i saw that shellyfish added a bit more, and i followed her lead and went ahead and used 3/4 tsp. and wait, there is another trick...beat the "eggs" until stiff...i didn't do it the first time, but i did this last go round and the results?

fabulous!

my baking videos:

vegan eclair challenge video pt. 1

vegan eclair challenge video pt. 2

vegan eclair challenge video pt. 3

vegan eclair challenge video pt. 4

if you want the video cliff notes...

pt. 1: contains the most footage of me and e together...is probably the funniest...or the second funniest. in this video i'm actually making the dough...and getting it into the oven.

pt. 2: mostly just me...i'm just making the pastry cream...not as funny as the first and last video

pt. 3: again, mostly me...i think the kids make a cameo...i'm making the chocolate sauce.

pt. 4: more of me and e...he's making fun of me a bit in the end...and this is probably the funniest or at least tied with pt. 1.

if you only watch 2...watch 1 and 4...and if you watch them both...i'll love you forever!

if i decide to do it again...i'll work on not talking so much, or learning how to edit it down. the editting was taking too long...and entirely too tedious...so i figured i'll just let it all rip!

picture perfect!

so its been a long, sweet day...but i've got some hilarious outtakes to enjoy for sometime..maybe i'll share them!

wonderful challenge and i encourage you all to visit all the other daring bakers!

happy baking!

paz,

ki

update:

ahhhhhhh! all that work and youtube says my videos are too long! are you kidding me i worked for hours!!! okay i'm off to go cry in a corner vowing to never say the word youtube again. at least for a while!

:'(

i'm really crying!

stay tuned...

i'm working on something truly daring...for this month's daring baking challenge...as we speak...well as you read this...

come back later today!

ki

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!

doll quilt swap 4...coming and going

this summer i participated in my first swap.

can i tell you how nerve-wrecking it was making something for someone that i don't know? but as i worked along on my quilt for "---" i found the experience rewarding...i found myself thinking about her and hoping that this quilt, and this work that i'm doing with my hands while spending some quality time with my little ones before their first year of school will make her happy.

before i get to my quilt...which is no longer mines... i would love to share the beautiful quilt that i received all the way from sweden.

as the final day to send our quilts approaches, i knew something lovely would be coming soon. i went out to get the mail yesterday...expecting nothing but bills and junkmail...but there was a big package all the way from sweden, and i could hardly wait to get inside and open it up. neither could the kids.

of course the first thing out of the little lady's mouth was..."what are you going to do with it mommie? i think it would be really nice for "lucy." to be honest it would be just great for her room and her dolly...but the little guy (who loves quilts and blankets) would feel mightly left out...so the quilt will have to decorate mommie's sewing room walls.

my lovely red and white checkered doll quilt, and a nice piece of fabric too! look at the wonderful handwork!

thank you so much Ulla...i love it and the wonderful piece of fabric too!

so with one received...one must also go out. just in the nick of time, my quilt was done today. i wanted to just go on and on hand quilting it...but i also didn't want to over do it, and knew that i needed to save some time and energy for binding it. it took me all morning and most of the afternoon to hand stitch the binding close...but i got it done and i love how it looks.

i love it so much that i'm not looking at it too much. why? because i actually would want to keep it for myself! i hope my partner is as happy with it as i am. even despite my hand quilting ability. i've learned that i really need to practice my stitch. and! that i love doing the stab stitch with no thimble...just in and out...as if i'm cross stitching. i know it takes twice as long but it is so much more comfortable and enjoyable for me.

it is also interesting to see how linen works out within a quilt, its loose weave really gives the quilt a "country" look and i think adds to the handmade quality of the quilt. on the flip side, the loose weave also makes the seams look a bit off...or not as straight as they were sewn, especially once quilted. despite this, i love the "homeyness" of the linen and the hand quilting. it is definitely a look in and of itself. i also decided not to embroider on the quilt or do any applique. the design of the quilt, the way i had to quilt it, didn't really lend itself to "extras" in my opinion.

take a look at what's going out:

front, hand quilted

close-up

close-up of the hearts that i love

my not so great hand quilting

the label, stitched by my sewing machine...i knew i couldn't stitch it better

some little extras, a vintage tea towel, and a strawberry pin cushion and a little note from me.

i hope she enjoys it...it was a lot of fun to make...and put a lot of love into it.

one swap under my belt! maybe one day i'll do it again...i really love sending out presents...

paz,

ki