It's gone, all of it. In the trash. I enjoyed taking them out of the closet every few years as they brought back fond memories, but no one else would ever care to see them. I did take pictures though, just I case I had the need. One of my favorite art classes in college was Figure Drawing. Out of all the models who posed nude, I remember Chloe, a plump older woman with lots of folds on her body which were great fun to draw. She was everyone's favorite.
"DON'T BOO. VOTE!"
I was so inspired after watching the Democratic National Convention a few weeks ago that I decided to design fabric for t-shirts using a quote by President Barack Obama. During his speech the crowd boo'd when he said something about the inadequacy of the Republican party. He said, "Don't boo. Vote!" I loved this. Don't just complain, make your voice be heard. Whether it be voting politically or voting with your dollars to support companies you believe in, make your voice be heard!
I decided to market the t-shirt to spread the message. The design is on the front and the back is sold navy. It's made of super comfy 95% cotton and 5% spandex jersey. Designed to be flattering for women, it has raglan sleeves, a wide neckline, and is fitted at the waist. (not straight sides but a slight curve)
Votes for Women
This year is the 96th anniversary of women having the right to vote. It took an incredible amount of sacrifice and dedication by many, many, strong minded women who fought for this right. Along the way, they were punished, jailed, and worse. I am passionate about encouraging all women, young and old, to get out and honor our right to VOTE!
I highly recommend watching the movie, Iron Jawed Angels, the true story about a group of suffragettes who led the final fight to get women the vote. You will never take this right for granted again. For more information on one of the main characters, Alice Paul, the website is: www.alicepaul.org
Mas Corola de la Moda
(Translates to More Petal Fashion)
Fuschias, begonias, gerbera daisies, roses, hibiscus, and a lantern shaped flower from a tree in the garden at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, are the inspiration for these designs. I am always on the look out for interesting flowers. In the last collection, I even used a photo of a periwinkle flower that I spotted along the side of the road- in other words, a weed!
Corola de la Moda
What a pretty name, I thought, when I learned that the botanical name for the petals of a flower is corolla. I am using photographs of flowers to create colorful clothing ensembles, so I named the collection of drawings Corola de la Moda, which is Spanish for petal fashion. The color, shape, and pattern of each flower determines the direction I take. First, I remove the background of the photo, then add it, layer by layer, to a sketch, using my favorite drawing app, Procreate. I've been somewhat obsessed as of late, averaging four to five drawings a week! They are very time consuming but I get lost in the process and have no sense of time passing. This is what's called being in the present moment, which is the healthiest place to be in life, and I am so grateful to have an outlet which takes me there.
Herb Garden & The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need Recipe
This summer, I was determined to grow a full fledged herb garden. In the past, I've grown herbs in pots on my deck and they did "okay", but I know they would have done much better if planted in the ground. The problem is that our house faces south which means that the front yard is best for the full sun needed for herbs. We have an area outside our front door which is shielded by hedges from passers by, and off to the side, I cleared a bed which measures about 30"x60". With kaleidoscope abelia shrubs as the background, I planted lavender on either end, Italian parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, and basil. I bordered it with a delicate ground cover and added a decorative, low fence, to keep our dear little Niskua cat away! (Just in case she decided to use the area as a litter box!) The first photo shows the bed when first planted. The next photo was taken today! The herbs have thrived in the ground as opposed to in pots. It's been such a delight to use my organic, home grown, fresh as can be, herbs, in my summer cooking.
I tried this marinade recipe which called for several of the herbs in my garden and used it for grilled chicken. It was absolutely delicious. Enjoy!
The Only Marinade You Will Ever Need
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
- 4 strips of lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parley, basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, or a mix of all four
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
PREPARATION
Combine the lemon juice, hot pepper flakes, cracked pepper, and salt in a nonreactive (glass, ceramic, or stainless steel) bowl and whisk until the salt crystals are dissolved. Add the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley and basil and whisk until blended.
Marinade chicken or protein of choice for at least an hour. Cook on grill.
Out Of My Comfort Zone
Recently, I had a conversation with a dear friend about comfort zones. She used the image of a circle to represent a comfort zone, and went on to say that when we get out of that zone, our circle expands. Interestingly, if we don't get out of our comfort zone, the circle doesn't stay the same size, but gets smaller. This visual made me think about areas of my life in which for one reason or another, I hold back, and I felt it was time to consciously work on expanding my zone. The first thing I thought of was that I have been procrastinating about applying for a retail space at the Reston Metro station. There are eight very cool little retail Pop Up shops there and I thought it would be fun, albeit a big challenge, to have a space to show all of my work. I've been having so much fun creating textile designs and thought I could show them in the form of accent pillows, tea towels, t-shirts... So last week, I took the big plunge and applied! If I am accepted, I will be added to a list and wait for a space to become available.
Back to comfort zones, my goal is to choose at least one thing each week that is uncomfortable yet expanding. I want my circle to grow- the image of a beautiful, smooth, circle expanding is so much more appealing than a shriveled raisin!
Here are a few of the new pillow designs I added this past week in thinking about the possibility of having a kiosk. If you'd like to see more, take a look at the Shop page.
Petal Fashion
For quite some time, I've wanted to incorporate my photographs of flowers into fashion drawings. Last week I finally got to it and am having a ball doing so. Using the Procreate app, I start with a drawing then add layers of photographs in which I have isolated the petals from various plants and flowers.
Gladiola and zucchini blossoms.
Geranium and begonia petals.
Wildflowers and rose of sharon petals.
Tricolor beech leaves with original textile design.