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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Peach Season

This is the time of year I'm hunkered over the sink eating juicy peaches. Our tree had so many this year that we lost more than one limb; oh, I love peaches. We have blackberries too. So sweet and dark. It floods the senses.

To our surprise the corn was still standing on our return from Arizona. One of the stalks put out silks of the most beautiful wine color. I'll get on a ladder this afternoon and get a shot for you. This is blue corn, the kind you grind into blue corn flour for tortillas. But our friend from Oaxaca says even he has never seen it grow so tall.

Inspired by Maija and Katie and Misty, I pulled out the sewing box and made myself a fabric cuff to wear for dress up. These are so much more comfortable to wear for me than metal bracelets because I can write and paint, etc. with one on my wrist. Soft and cozy.

Cindy gave me most of these fabrics when I was at her house in Los Gatos. She has a fine eye for exotic fabrics and I'm learning what to look for too. I scored some great ones at SAS Fabrics on 19th Avenue in Phoenix.

A few buttons from the stash I got from Teesha and voila!! A cuff that I love to wear. Sorry about all the name dropping but I do think it's interesting that all these influences converged on me. I never would have come up with the idea on my own. I swore off sewing at one point to make time for more painting but the sewing muse was not to be put aside. The needle and thread felt so good in my hands.

After I made my cuff I found this one for sale on the internet. All I can say is wow and wow again. That's some inspiration!!

I also made a couple of fabric flowers while I was at it. I don't have the ultimate pattern yet but I'm working on it. These two came from web tutorials that I've since lost.

This one was made with wire ribbon. They were both pretty easy but took me a couple of hours.

Finally I have a few more journal pages to post from my time traveling and home again.

Mom and the Superstition Mountains where we children scattered her ashes. Father's ashes were scattered here 10 years before that; I like to think of them together now on the desert they loved so much. We used to drive the dusty two lane roads around Mesa singing "You're Too Old to Cut the Mustard" and other songs from that era. How quaint that seems now.

More nonsense. Mi favorito occupacion.

By tomorrow at this time I'll be on my way to the Indian Market this weekend in Santa Fe. Canyon Road, the Folk Art Museum, Indian Fry Bread and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A place to me that is holy, that calls me back time and again. I'm taking the laptop and have good intentions of posting from there. Sometimes the girl reporter would rather drink margaritas than post; bad girl reporter!! xo

31 comments:

Andi Stern said...

Finally I have a few more journal pages to post from my time traveling and home again.

I mis-read that as Doctor Who style time traveling. Funny, syntax. :) Though given the journal pages you posted I think you were doing both. Love that corn!

MB Shaw said...

Oh, I have been wanting one of those bracelets too. You think I could make one? I don't really sew although I recently bought a sewing machine and I want to give it a try. I have lots of fun scraps! Yours are marvelous. And I love John's corn.

anna maria said...

I'm sure you can do both! Drinking margueritas may make posting even more fun.
All the stuff you made looks wonderful. Now I want to make a cuff. I've been wanting one ever since I saw Alisa Burke's.
The corn - I am speechless.

anna maria said...

Oops. I mean margaritas..

anna maria said...

P.S.
the links don't work, at least not for me.

Candace said...

Let me try this again...

So you admit in this very post you are time traveling!!! It's the only way you can do so much AND entertain Faithful Reader here so thoroughly.
Love the cuff and the fabric flowers. I used to do that type thing...
And thanks for sharing your journal pages. I typed joyrnal pages at first...
mere typo? Or Freudian slip?
You be the judge.

Faithful Reader,
Candace in Athens x

Jacky said...

Mmmm juicy peaches, blackberries...and your corn looks amazing!!!
I love your cuff, definately one that I would love to wear. Colourful, wonderful stitchery ...I havent been inspired to make one until I saw this one.
Enjoyed your journal pages too.

Jacky

Meri said...

This post just knocks me out. You are SO talented that I can't find fitting superlatives. I envy you your travels to Santa Fe... there are so many photo ops. And have the bad girl reporter sip a tasty one for me.

The Weight of Me said...

oh dear, forgive me lovely Judy, but when I saw the flames at the bottom of your Arizona layout, I sniggered. true story. Well, you know, my HEINIE has been toasting over those same flames for 3 decades now ... I recognize 'em when I see 'em.

PS -- the cuff idea blew my brain open ... I have such huge hands that I can't wear normal bracelets at all, can't slide them on OR fasten them ... what a perfect solution. I'm off to ETSY right now to snoop -- I don't sew at all, which the older I get the more dismaying I find.

The Weight of Me said...

oh, this is Toni by the way, new blog, new photo ... didn't wanna scare ya!

Lynn Cohen said...

Your fabric bracelets are lovely...I wonder if they would be hot to wear? Not? Loose? Ideas flowing...
Peach looks nummy and I can imagine juice dripping down chins eating them...

Sandy..... said...

ok i have to ask....when you are travling, what sort of "journal supplies" do you pack up with you? Your pages are awesome!

I tend to put post it notes and memorobelia in the pages of the journal i brought with me (just because I cant part from it), but not actually jounral until I'm home.

Clare Wassermann said...

mouth watering journals. I love them. Any chance of any web tutorials? xx

Ocean Lotus said...

i'm not a corn cornosuier but how ya gonna harvest that corn with it being so talk?
love the journal pages, i've been missing them even though the classwork art is heavenly.

femminismo said...

Oh, it's thrilling to see your ideas and fun. I want to make some of those cuffs. They would be nice, since I work so much at the computer. Great idea. We drove through a small portion of the Sangre de Cristos and it was another world! - Jeanne

Karen Stiehl Osborn said...

I love the peach photo! Any chance of a tutorial on how you did it? TIA!

paperbird said...

I had such a fun time in your class at Art Unraveled. Thank you for sharing your talents- can't wait to play and practice what I learned from you!

lulu moonwood murakami said...

Holy Toledo, would you look at that corn!!! I love the cuff and the flowers, too - uh oh, I feel an inspiration coming on...
: ) lulu

Poetic Artist said...

I love the cuff..Now I am going to have to pull out the sewing machine and try. Your journal pages are great.
Katelen

Pilar said...

I love what you have done with your fabric work. Is there anything you can't do??? I am so impressed with the sophistication of the cuffs, but with that funky J-Dawg vibe. : D

Laura said...

Ok I should know better to not come here when I'm up to my eyeballs in other projects, lol - your posts are always so inspiring Judy! I just have to make myself one of those cuffs now!!

Have a margarita for me, extra lime & salt please :> I've actually taken a liking to 'Micheladas' too this summer (classic Tex-Mex coolers)have you tried them?

Sea Mist and Sunsets said...

Oh that peach looks so good! And your husband looks like he might be in danger in the earlier pic beside the gigantic corn. Wow.

Now I'm thinkin' this might be the perfect weekend for some fabric play. Your cuff is great.

Apple said...

You have alot of writing on those pages...I love it!!!

Anonymous said...

The corn and peaches remind me to be grateful for summer. I spent too much time worrying and feeling dull. I have been sewing much more than painting this summer...a mixed thing. I am so much looking forward to your class at saw and to spend some time with you again. You are always an inspiration to me and your words stay with me even now a year later.
Love, Jess

alex s said...

Bad girl reporters are the best. Everyone knows that!! At least anyone who matters! :-)

xx

Dreamcicle Journeys said...

Judy, As always you inspire me with your artwork- the funky fabric cuff and your wonderful photos and journal pages. Thanks for sharing. xxox

Anonymous said...

Hi ... just wanted you to know you are mentioned here ...
http://voodoonotes.blogspot.com/2009/08/rules-in-mixed-media-art-community.html
How true it is ... you are a wonderful teacher! I hope to one day actually get to meet you!

Karen Cole said...

Wow and wow and wow again. LOVE those cuffs. I speed read your blog. It's not easy, I tell you. You're incredibly prolific at everything.

I say, you deserve to drink as many margaritas as you want.

martha brown said...

Your fabric cuffs are beautiful! (I see the Maija influence -- I admired hers too :) Fabric bracelets are my favourite things to make!
I am SO HAPPY to read that you are planning to teach again at AU -- I wrote Linda and told her that I would take any and all of your classes if you came back next year. I can't wait! (can't wait to test the restaurants too)

Beate Knappe said...

I love the bracelets a lot

JillianEve said...

I know this post is ancient, but do you remember where you saw that pink fabric cuff online? I've been searching for that website and I can't remember what it's called! Please let me know!!