queJimenez...a pieced and quilted life

coming soon...

i started making bags because i love them...i loved coach (the old coach) before monogrammed canvas and trendy looks outweighed classic leather...simple designs and brass hardware.

e found my first coach bag my mother bought me (when i turned 18)...a simple, small, black backpack purse...it's nicely worn...the edges are tattered...its soft...and it still smells like coach leather...

eventually i grew tired of the trends, seeing countless girls in the mall with my same bag...and i wanted something original...something classic, something simple...real leather...inspirational...

so i decided to make my own....

its been 3 years since i started my apprenticeship of leather working...and i've finally feel like i've turned the corner...and can now draft almost any bag that i could think of (within reason).

i've learned that i *love* working with thick, premium hides...

a flat hide that i can then take, manipulate and create wonderful designs...that'll last a lifetime...that'll be original..unique...simple and timeless...

coming soon:

wallets, belts, keychains, mommy & me/sister & me collections, briefcases, laptop bags, boxes & jewelry

for now...here's a sneak peak at whats coming later this week:

 

 

the wallets and belts...are awaiting...

i've worked two 10+ hour days this weekend...saturday & sunday...and stayed up all night last night stitching bags together...the wallets are painted...and awaiting...the belts...really waiting...

there is nothing like working till your feet hurt...till your hands are calloused...till your brain is tired...but your still full of hunger...passion and heart...

i'm ready for the holidays...ready for the new year...ready to create!

peace...ki

recipe try: vegan lemon bundt cake

 

vegan lemon bundt cake w/vanilla glaze

my quest to make a wonderfully...perfect vegan pound/bundt cake has not...and doesn't seem to be coming to end...the catch is..i don't want to use soy or tofu.

last night i had a craving for a lemon pound cake...not exactly fall eats...but with the heat wave were experiencing it didn't seem too off.

i pulled out my joy of vegan baking book, and decided to give this recipe a try. i'd wanted to try it for some time now, but because it uses maple syrup as its sweetener...i've put it off. a while ago, when i first started making vegan baked goods i tried a cake recipe that called for maple syrup and it was less than stellar...it was heavy and the flavor just wan't that great...so since then i've been literally scared of baking with maple sugar.

my solution? i substituted the 3/4 c. of maple sugar with 1 c. of granulated sugar. and followed the recipe pretty much to a t. (except for switching the ratios of lemon and vanilla extract - instead of 1tbl. of lemon and 1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla...i did 1 tbl. of vanilla and 1 1/2 tsp. of lemon)

the recipe calls for 1/3 of a cup of lemon juice, along with lemon rind...so i was afraid it would be too tart.

the cake also called for an interesting egg replacement...it called for 4 energy eggs...along with baking soda and baking powder...hmmmm. i thought...maybe that's the solution..a combination...of "faux" eggs...

 

the outcome

first off the cake held together...there were a few cracks...but i let the cake cool throughly in the pan (usually i don't so it won't sweat at the bottom) before turning it out...and it was fine...held together great...which is good because when a vegan cake goes wrong the first thing to go is structure.

the crumb of the cake is coarse and dense...i guess i suspected this. it isn't off putting...just a bit more rustic. makes me miss the fine crumb of my vegan cupcakes.

the flavor was...."understated." in e's words...definitely edible and "good" just doesn't live up to my 7-up cake (which packs in 5 or 6 whole eggs). i'm wondering if my little tift with the flavorings could clear up the taste...it was definetly on the right track just not overly sweet...and a bit understated. this could be a good thing depending on what your going after.

 

my final thoughts? 

i'm thinking this is definitely a great jumping off spot...this recipe seems to me to have some legs and may be able to turn into a lovely non-soy vegan pound cake...its just going to take some tweeking...the flavors...and also the order in which its mixed...i'm wondering if since i replaced the syrup with granulated sugar if i should have not mixed the sugar with the wet ingredients...i did because i know that sugar can be considered a "wet" ingredient in some baking recipes...so i'll try a different method next time.

the other thing to consider is the size...its a smaller bundt cake...certainly didn't take up all of the pan, and didn't bake tall...i'm wondering if it could be doubled...but the thought of 8 ener-g eggs in a cake recipe scares me...really.

 all and all..i'd consider this a successful work in process...

if any of you would love to work with me on experimenting with this recipe...let me know...who knows what we can do if we put our baking brains together!

peace....ki

hunting for pumpkins...

this year we were on top of our game...and managed to not forget to take the kids to the cal poly pomona's pumpkin patch.

u see my e is a cal poly alumni...so there is nothing that pleases him more than taking the kids to his college and telling them how wonderful it is...and that they too can attend....

its a beautiful campus...nestled in the foothills in pomona...and one of the few local schools that has agricultural studies...and veterinarian studies.

their pumpkin patch is large...and we definitely have fun going through the fields searching for the perfect pumpkins...

it was an unusually hot day...at least in the mid 90's...we were all sweaty...and tired even though it was about 11 am.

unfortunately...i came home and sprouted a rash...the hay and what not didn't mix well with my arms...

but we did have fun!

always holding hands...

taking a picture for papi...

silly faces and giggles...

taking a break...

there are so many pumpkins, at random spots people pile up the pumpkins and create little areas for impromptu pictures...we thought this was a great pile to use...

there are literally thousands of pumpkins...this is only a quarter or so of the whole field...probably less.

....and their are also other types of squash like these turban squashes...

....and piles of mini gourds for $.50 each...

and butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash too...

pushing our wagon home...

we finally choose...1 pumpkin each, a white pumpkin, and a handful of ornamental gourds (i'm hoping i can decorate with them...ideas?)

i honestly can't wait to carve up the pumpkins...one year (before the kids) me and e had a carve-off...and we did some really cool carvings...i hate to admit it...but he beat me...

this year...i'm planning on winning...

and finally...every year there is also a bug fair going on simultaneously as the pumpkin patch...i couldn't resist taking a picture of this creepy crawly bug:

a scorpion...

apparently the guy says he's of a docile variety and non-poisonous to humans...he also informed me that his sting "only" felt like a bee sting...when i told him i'd never been stung by a bee...he asked me "what's wrong with me" and told me i needed to get stung...

"whatever with you..." lol...was my reply...i'm always going to run from bees...it prevents me from getting those stings...

my brother was the neighborhood "bug boy" when we were kids...you'd think i'd love bugs the way he used to study them...and set them in jars around the house...

now we only have to get their costumes...and we're set for halloween!

peace...ki

the thoughts we think....

hopefully by now you are aware of the new space i created for my art explorations:

kikasa::nomadic art

i've been going back and forth with the idea for the past few weeks, and i really hesitated because i'm honestly not sure i have the time for blogging...let alone another blog. however...i feel like i'm on a journey...and i need to share it and record it. (not to mention encouragement from ericka...a true inspiration! thanks ericka!)

i haven't ironed out all the details...but my idea is to have a place to chronicle my explorations in art...or better yet creating.

why nomadic art?

no·mad 
n.  

1. A member of a group of people who have no fixed home and move according to the seasons from place to place in search of food, water, and grazing land.

2. A person with no fixed residence who roams about; a wanderer.

i'm big on words and definitions...i find that the words we think, the things we say...how we understand and interpret ourselves and our surroundings really affect our lives.

if we are not correct in the way we define, and overstand ourselves....i think we loose something. 

as i wander my way through this creative career and life...i've found that i literally wander. it struck me while covering early civilization in yael's history class...and learning about nomads that i understood my "nomadic" behavior in creating better. and appreciated it. and saw it for what it is...

the thoughts we think...create the life we experience.

i truly believe this. deeply.

i believe that the law of attraction is always at work...and even more so in creating...the essence of the law of attraction is creating...thus the essence of creating is "attraction."

when i need a tool...materials...inspiration...ideas...i visualize...i visualize...and continue to visualize...

eventually...a solution, an answer...or what i need materializes...

in realizing this...i'm making even more of an effort to be conscious of the thoughts i think...not just what i want...or need...but who i am and how i begin, continue and find myself describing myself...and overstanding myself.

no more "crafty a.d.d." talk...i'm sure picasso never called himself an a.d.d. artist...

i'm discovering

       ...exploring

            ...risk-taking

                ...defining

                    ...experimenting 

                         ...growing

                               ...creating

                                     ...being...

wow! what a beautiful thing...to be organic as an artist...constantly evolving...

time to make peace with who i am...and where i'm at in this lifetime.

"wherever you are in the world and your life....evolve...grow out and embrace it"

peace...ki

p.s. if i did my job right...i created a good enough button for you to copy and use on your blog if you'd like...i also created one for this blog...they are not extravagant...but hey to me...they are the bee's knees!

 

a little bit more...

just wanted to share:

my addiction to veggie chips...if you haven't tried any of these...please do they are soooo good in a healthy sort of way...especially the snappea crisps...and veggie booty (my favorite)...

the dwindling supply of veggies coming from the garden...i've yet to cook eggplant...anyone wanna suggest a recipe? those are mostly heirloom tomatoes...green and unripe (before the birds get em) and one large bell pepper...like the eggplant...the bell pepper waited to really late in the season to take off...

we think we'll have tomatoes through the end of this month...we'll see...they usually carry on till november but...its gotten colder earlier this fall...the news is forecasting an 'el nino year...uh oh!

 

my first vegan bundt cake!!! well...if you don't count the chocolate one i've been making now for years.

i got this recipe out of the book above...the 100 best vegan baking recipes....

it doesn't have any soy/tofu or egg replacer eggs...it is suppose to be a vanilla/chocolate swirl with chocolate chips throughout.

i think i unevenly measured half of the batter for the chocolate...cause it is a bit more chocolate than vanilla. either way it is good...i will say that i will add a bit more vanilla next time (recipe only calls for 1 tsp. and i think 2 would heighten the vanilla flavor) and make sure i measure half and half of the batter for chocolate/vanilla.

it is good...sort of like a chocolate chip cookie cake...

and it gives me hope that alas i'll be able to bake a vegan cake/pound cake without tofu...

i've got more posting to do later...if i can get to it...we had a wonderful field trip week before last...and the weaving is progressing along well...my first project will be done in a few days...

i'm still wondering if i should start a separate blog for my works in progress, etc. just feels like i should...again...i guess we'll see...i'm not too good with handling one blog..let alone multiples...

peace...ki

still thinking...i should...

our schoolroom (vintage post from old blog...)

**here's a post dated 8/12/08 that got lost on another blog i started...and let languish by the wayside...:

our schoolroom

so i've promised a few times to share our school room. it is very much still a minor work in progress, as is most of my house but it is for the most part done.

our schoolroom, is "housed" in what used to be our family room, which is apart of the kitchen and a little dining area that sits off the kitchen, between the family area...and the kitchen.

this room has always been the most used area of our house (along with my studio) as i'm always in the kitchen cooking or baking, and we have all our meals together at the table. the other good thing about this room is that it gets wonderful light in the day...and it is our house access to the back yard.

i decided that this would be the best room for schooling, once the t.v. was removed, because we have an area to eat breakfast, snacks and do cooking exercises, etc. not to mention the light is wonderful..and its probably the best area we have that has ample wall space. every other room has windows on almost every wall.

so here is a tour of our schoolroom.

the eating area.

when you first enter the room this is the first view...the eating area.

the "schoolroom"

to the left of the eating area is the actual "school" area. the formal area. the kids have a child's table that seats four, that have shelves underneath the table. the table is the perfect size for them, with a little room for them to still grow into. we found it at costco for about $200 and luckily we had the extra money to buy it. i think its best to give kids a table where they can comfortably sit, and have space to do school work.

the right of the kids desk.

to the right of the kids' work area is a little seatee, and access to the backyard. the seatee is a nice place for us to sit and read books...sometimes the kids will nap here also.

the left of the kids' work area. this is where our bookshelf is with all of the kids' supplies, books, etc. and the home of our belated mr.fish (who passed last week).

the bookshelf is not to organized, i'm waiting for the big shipment of school work/curriculum to come and then i'll go through and organize it better.

behind the kids desk is our fireplace, which we don't use, but hopefully we'll start putting it to use.

above the fireplace i have this bulletin board, i plan on putting up the kids work during the school year and other seasonal things. which means i need to get another board the same size as this one...

the view of the kitchen from the schoolroom.

bulletin board #2,

here's the second of the bulletin boards, this one is our calendar board which is doing good with helping the kids learn the months, the concept of dates, weather and seasons. they have a loose idea of these concepts but the calendar is helping to make it more concrete. it also helps with the "when is..." questions that we field constantly.

the kids, i and e love the schoolroom. its amazing how once we changed the room into a schooling area how are lives just seemed to morph in the right direction. its not uncommon to find the kids working at there desk on school stuff, crafts or letters to the family while me or me and e are making meals. there's been quite a few times that we cuddle on the seatee and read books, or the kids read there on their own.

they also love the wide open space. lately they've been putting it to use building "cities" with their blocks. they build all the places they like to go...space them out and set up their little figures to visit around the city. with all the space they don't have to take them down...so they can stay up till e gets home from work, but best of all me and e aren't stepping on random blocks and hoping around in pain...or knocking them over.

there is definitely something about the kitchen that makes it a great place for the family to congregate. i suggest incorporating a family learning area in or around your kitchen if you have the space.

paz,

ki

* everything is about the same...a year later...the only difference is that the seatee is now in me and e's bedroom...which i'm loving...and well out stove gave out in the middle of easter dinner so that's been re-placed by a silver and black newer model (wish they had it in white)...it changes the clean look of the kitchen a bit...otherwise...everything is about exactly the same...oh and there is the bird now too...

personal tour of my home...

home is a certain kind of personal word..different from house. it conjures up pride and coziness...possession and comfort to me. 

soon enough it'll be 5 years since this house became ours. i cannot begin to tell you how much i loved this house when we found it. the street..the vines...the windows...the constant streaming of natural light...the space...the clean white walls...i loved it all.

as we've been here and the kids have grown up here (they were 1.5 yrs and 2 months when we moved here) i've honestly fallen in and out of love.

there's times when i'm ever frustrated by the dingy white carpet, and the old metal/white mini blinds. i struggle with our tile counter tops which the previous owners had glazed (sigh)...along with the tubs and sinks...etc.

but i'm in love with so much too...

i can't really explain it...take a look...

 

a very partial part of our book collection...and some art...and things...

this is on your right side as you enter...there are 2 ikea bookshelves that anchor a thrifted bookshelf. i collect national geographic magazines...they are up top, there are some african artifacts...like a fertility god (upper right) that i need to pass on to someone...and a hand-carved couple...that sign that says no reads: no negroes, no dogs, no mexicans. i love it...if you know me you know i'm petrified of dogs...and well the negroes and mexicans...well thats us. its a copy of an old sign from the jim crow era in texas...

maybe a better shot...

up to the right of this area is a wonderful circular window..thats wonderful to look out of when your on the staircase...this is right over the front door...

see here, our front door...that's the aztec calendar hanging on the door..my mother in law brought it from mexico the last time she was there...the ceiling goes the total height of our home...two stories..its beautiful to just lay in the living room at night and stare at the sky...

when the kids were young...and we still had a "family bed" me and e would camp out in the living room on our sleeper sofa...and look out the window at the sky and talk...

our staircase...

as you continue on along the bookcase wall...is our staircase...and you eventually land in the schoolroom/kitchen...or in the formal dining area...which is to the left of the staircase...

right at the entrance to the kids schoolroom is their kitchen...which they still "cook" in...our school calendar...and their easels...at the base of the stairs is yali's keyboard...on a thrifted piano bench...don't ask me why that blue easter basket is hanging...the kids' like to "jimmy-rig" things from the stairs...they "send" things down to eachother...or something like that.

the stair case has family pictures on the second landing...some quilt art from my solo on the first landing...and all the way at the top...another quilt piece from my first solo show...eventually i'll install the words i had on the wall too...but with these two story walls...that'll take a lot of work and maneuvering...i'm not sure it can be done...

the first door is our room...the one next to it is my studio...at the other end of the hallway is the kids' bedrooms (side by side) and their bathroom.

our "formal" dinning area...view from the staircase...

notice all the stacks of mail and other "stuff" on our dinning table? the halloween balloon (the kids grandparents always bring them balloons...from the time yali was a newborn...)? the armoire on the right side is a vintage piece...notice the quilts rolled up and put on the chair in the left-hand corner?

there is a second window on top of the bottom window...i kinda got it in this blurry shot...it allows more light...and takes up some of the wall space...the walls go 2 stories...and the ceiling slants and meets in a v at top....

the vase is handmade in mexico, its heavy and big...the flowers are also handmade in mexico out of cornhusk...we've had them for at least 8 years...

and this is the mess that the kids make daily...

the boxes in the back corner are all our k12 kindergarten materials that got sent for michael (which have to go back...more boxes are coming today)...that corner is usually the collection spot for their balls, golf stuff, balloons...p.e. type stuff...

the t.v. armoire and coffee table were all hand-made in mexico and shipped across the border...the table actually has a big metal pot in the center which is traditionally used to fry stuff...or ice down cold beers, etc. my kids find it better to collect their "junque." underneath it is cd's i've yet to find a purpose for...

the furniture? well that's the ikea futon we bought for our first "home" 10 years ago...the blanket covering up the worn out cover is from mexico too...its hand-woven...wool and soooo comfy...i hijacked it from my in-laws years ago...

and unfortunately...i still have the mini-blinds on the windows...they're falling apart...yet their still there...eventuallly...i'll get to replacing them.

living (and creating) with kids...

living with kids can be quite an experience...they come with so many "things" and little stuff...and they find it easy to live amongst toys scattered every where...

i constantly have them pick up their stuff...only to find it thrown all over hours later. sometimes i just ignore it...sometimes i fuss...most times i begrungedly pick it up...(when i have time)

i made the decision when they were smaller to not buy "good" furniture when we moved here...our ikea stuff still had legs...and i figured why invest when they'll "live" in it and on it...

i didn't want them to not be able to "be" and play...and discover in their home...

i didn't want any part of their home to be "off-limits" to them...now things have changed a bit...or should i say evolved...our room is now "off-limits" to them...it is our "couple" space...a place for us..no toys...no more family bed...except for the occasional family movie night cuddle...

my studio is also "off-limits" now...they can come in and hang a bit with me..but none of their stuff can take up permanent residence...i needed a physical and mental place to break from role as mommy/wife and be artist...

i'm mostly happy with this decision...because as i look at the fingerprints on the sofa of jelly...and see the first scribbles on the futon wood...i think to myself this could of been on a nice piece of furniture...when i see them make beautiful castles...like the one in the above picture i think...they're exploring...when i'm able to go into any one of "our" spaces...close the door and be something other than mommy for a minute...i re-new myself.

i find that being an artist and mommy/wife takes some guts and will...guts to say...i'm not cleaning up toys today...or "honey, you can make dinner tonight...even if it is cereal...." or today "i'm not going to worry about the dishes." sometimes it takes will-power to be selfish and take care of me...to let the kids explore on their own...be independent while i work...or let them play in the dirt as e cuts the grass so i can work...

living and creating with kids happens when i step back...and take time for myself...i don't have the best house on the block..nor the cleanest...but most times...or better yet sometimes...i have "time" for myself...

as for our home....someday it'll be more grown-up...but for now...i'm fine with what it is today...the toys...the crayons...the dolls...the legos and blocks...the homeschooling boxes...all of it. including the little pockets of space me and e have carved out for ourselves...

one day...they'll be grown...one day they'll be in college...one day i'll miss their presence...and beg them to come visit...

until then....

peace, ki

an old picture of our living room...before we started housing the t.v. in the living room...before homeschooling...i found in the archives...

1st (rigid heddle) weaving....and other things...

its been a couple of months since i've been enamored with all things weaving...and finally after having to save up for a couple of months...a lot of patience and research...i finally got a good loom.

i've got the kromski 32" harp...which is a rigid heddle loom. i'm absolutely in love with it and its worth the couple of months of patience and what not i've had to exercise...to get it.

i'm going to skip all the background info on the loom...the weaving process...and save it for another day/post. for now i'm going to share what's on my loom...

 

this is my first project...its a wal(weave a long) with a group of beginner rigid heddle weavers on weavolution....weavolution is the weaving sister to raverly...

its hand/dishtowels...i'm not sure what exactly we'll use them for, but my idea is to replace all the paper towels that we use...

this is about 6 1/2" of weaving which i got done this morning before the kids woke and i had to start schooling...this amount took me about 2 hours. mind you...it was my first time weaving on this loom (or any "real" loom really) and there was a bit of a learning curve to getting used to throwing the shuttle...

a little swatch...

i'm not sure how well i choose my threads...i choose 8/2 cotton and its on a 10-dent heddle...i was told this was good towel yarn to use...so i bought a good amount to practice with and make a lot of towels...its looking like i have a pretty even/balanced weave here...but i'd have to ask more experience weavers if there is any truth to that.

weaving is very complicated...but not that complicated at the same time...there are so many terms, definitions, words to remember its mind boggling...i'm barely...and i really strongly repeat...barely starting to make sense of it all...

i've been reading for what seems like months...and trying to understand the terms...the process...etc. its been about a month+ since i've known i wanted a rigid heddle loom...and again lots of reading. it all was very confusing until i finally got the loom in front me...and began to get to work.

mistakes thus far?

left selvage...

right selvage

all of you fabric connoisseurs are familiar with selvages right...well, in weaving your creating your fabric which means your creating your selvages too...and this is one of the first areas where the learning curve can be a bit steep...

take a look at my left edge...you notice the loops on the end of each "weaving line" is fairly straight and smooth? well take a look at the right edge....look at how irregular it is...not very neat. not horrible if you ask me (hey it was my first time) but not at all as nice and neat as i'd like....

yes...a warping mistake...before

out of 140 threads...i managed to only cross, if that's what its called...2 threads. if your not familiar with weaving there is a very detailed...drawn out...meticulous step to threading your warp...it truly isn't for the faint of heart...

imagine having to measure out 140 threads all over 90 inches long...keeping them untangled, straight, in order and then...breath....threading them through teeny, tiny holes...

you really gotta to love it...

warping mistake fixed...

luckily...it was something fixable (i think...i'm almost sure it won't come back to bite me), i was able to "hide" or fix it with the header. this dark brown thick yarn is the "header" its used to straighten out those yarns tied on so that they are not tying on at an angle...

notice in the above picture (2 up) how they are tapering in and tying on? well can't weave on that...so to straighten those threads out...start out with a header...now they are nice and straight and i won't have any uneven weaving (hopefully)....

warp ends....

i'm not convinced i'm totally wild about the color of these towels...see i let the family all chime in on what color i should use...i figured we'd all be using them...so we'd all better like them...and well...it was like orchestrating a wedding seating chart (this person doesn't like so and so...so this and this can't be close...this one doesn't like this one...but loves this one...) in the end...everyone liked or didn't have an aversion to natural, green and the grey...

the colors or nice...but the tones of the blue and grey are so close...you can't tell the two colors apart...they blend...i guess that's not so bad.

here is what i had to choose from:

new warp/weft threads...mostly 8/2 cotton and some cottonlin

the boys didn't like any of the bright colors...except for mykey liking the turquoise...which e opposed...i tell you this...next time around will be my choice...last time i'm asking...

i'm really wishing i would of had the sample cards i ordered along with the threads...choosing thread color online is just simply blasphemy if you ask me...it was insanely difficult...but should prove better next time around..since i'll be armed with live color swatches.

i'm also going to branch out to thicker and different yarns...i wanted to stay fairly basic to learn...keep the learning curves as small as possible...not to mention...i'll be honest i didn't really know what i wanted to weave...just not scarves...

hemp and nettle fair trade yarn (from a women's cooperative)

i also bought these wonderfully earthy and organic yarns...i'm planning on making these but as i took them out and inspected them, i'm not to sure how suitable they are for warping...there are a lot of knots, bumps and irregularities that won't work with using a heddle..i'll have to figure a work around.

but let me tell you about the smell of these yarns...very strong earthy...sulfur like smell...reminds me of sulfur 8...the grease my mom used to use on my hair...but a bit more pleasant...but i'm sure...that this earthy yarn isn't for everyone...e made the mistake of putting it directly on his nose to take a whiff...i think he was pissed i didn't warn him first...lol...not that i didn't try...he just got it "in" his nostrils before the words left my mouth...lol

discounted skeins...$3

can u believe i got these each for $3...and like a crazy lady...i didn't buy more? there's nothing wrong...just the dye lot was off...the colors are soooooo beautiful...i'm going back for more...

beginning books for rigid heddle weavers...

1. hands on rigid heddle weaving by betty linn davenport

2. textures and patterns for the rigid heddle loom by betty linn davenport

3. creative weaving: beautiful fabrics with a simple loom by sarah howard and elisabeth kendrick

these are very good beginner books for rigid heddle weavers...there really isn't any better...doesn't matter the brand of loom...these are staples for rigid heddle weavers...

next on my list is:

1.woven shibori by catharine ellis

and...if it can be adapted to rigid heddle weaving:

2. collapse weave: creating three-dimsional cloth by anne field

i'm really interested in the art side of weaving...the manipulation of the fibers...and the creating of a piece of cloth that can then serve as a backdrop to further art/mixed media applications...

speaking of fibers...this interest in weaving has had a friend piggyback with it...along comes a desire for unique fibers...which leads to a path of spinning...next year....the first half of the year...spining and dyeing my own fibers is next...

also speaking of fibers...

country cotton solids and wool and eco felt....fall colors

i'm scheduled to do a 2-day...(over 2 saturdays) workshop at the riverside art museum on beginning quilting and appliqueing...i'm planning projects now...which will be turned into either a pillow or two...or a lap quilt.

i'm personally designing the applique shapes...designs...and i think they will be really pretty...that's if they turn out in reality the way they are in my fantasies...i'm having fun cutting out floral shapes...

maybe just maybe if things go well...i'll put together some sort of online workshop...or something...patterns...i don't know...depends on the interest.

which brings me to the last thing on my mind this evening: i'm considering starting a spin-off blog of all my fiber/art escapades...and keeping this one as just a day to day diary (as if i've been blogging day to day)...i just wonder if it'll be easier for me...and you (the readers) to have things separated...cooking, homeschooling, life, etc. here...and art escapades over there (where ever there is in cyberspace)? opinions?

i dunno....i'll see...or better yet life will show me...make plans and life will surely move them around...i guess i'll just evolve...and what ever happens...happens...

okay...that was a lot..time to get back to the loom...and hopefully cuddle with e....law & order: svu is on...

peace....ki

thinking...about every woman.

am i the only one who struggles with time?

i'm so enjoying homeschooling the kids...being with them...teaching them...listening to them...learning with them...my goodness it just keeps getting better with time...

it also keeps growing in its time demands..

at the end of a long 4-6 hour schooling session...my brain is gooey...just a mush of cells and synapses that are just begging to unwind...to not think...to not do. i'm drained and even doing the things i love to do is hard...

it amazes me how much love, attention, energy it takes to be present and give my little people a good education...but equally amazing is how much i get back.

for example, last friday i had a weak moment...and shed many tears over what seemed to be so pressing at the time: trying to be everything for everybody in my life...my little lady and guy saw me crying and before i could clean up my snot face...and stop sobbing to my wonderful e about how unappreciated i was feeling by "everyone else" she had brought me the pink carebear she "gave me," (to sleep with when her and her brother grew out of the family bed), some tissue and a blanket. the little guy...a picture...which she followed up with a picture too...both reading "i love you."

no matter what the world thinks about "housewives" and "homeschooling" moms...and sahm's...i'm convinced i'm raising some wonderful, sensitive, thoughtful...intelligent...smart...beautifully spirited humans.

i don't have the time...i'm tired and drained at the end of each day...i've set aside finishing my degree until they are a little more independent in their studies...i don't get the time to myself...to create as much as i'd like...

but i'm a bounty of love these days...they give me so much...its in-explicable...truly.

i'm so thankful for this here life...

i'm making a note to myself...

its okay that i can't do everything, be everywhere....or be everywoman to everyone...because in the end...i'm the world to e...yael...and michael...

and i want the rest of you wonderful mothers...daughters...sisters...wives...friends...teachers...to consciously tell yourself the same thing...

in fact...can we all just put our voices together and sing a song for all those women out there who are "everywoman"

"i'm everywoman....i'm everywoman....i'm everywoman"

it doesn't matter if your childless...or with plenty...there are scores and scores of women who are wonderfully doing it....i salute you all...i send you droves of love and support...and to the wonderful men who support and nurture....you are equally amazing...

peace....ki

"a beautiful surprise"

ooh how i love his underbite...he's now 5 years old!

everything about him...everything about his being...the way he came to me...the way he's lived his life...everything has been...

a beautiful surprise...

my son.

my beautiful son...came to my life january of '04, i was still a new mother, just celebrating 1 year with yael when i couldn't stop craving pb & j...which would be followed by an oppressing wave of sickness...i was a couple of weeks away from my 27th birthday...and just barely believing i could do this "mother thing."

pregnancy was the last thing on my mind as i was told i couldn't "conceive" on my own...i didn't even have monthly cycles...

when i found out i was "with child" again, i was terrified. i knew i wasn't ready...i was barely beginning to "warm up" to motherhood...and starting to enjoy it. i was a worry wart of a new mother, and suffering with a bit of post-partum blues while i tried to make sense of my new life as a sahm.

my mother told me it would be wonderful. my husband grinned from ear to ear. my sister said "awww, ki it'll be good...don't worry." and my best friend cos accompanied me to get prenatal vitamins and tried to "cheer" me up by taking pictures of me building my first panel...

i wasn't convinced...but over time...maybe a week or two...i settled. i knew that it would be difficult..but somehow that didn't matter. my wonderful daughter will have a playmate...and hopefully a best friend too.

it didn't matter to me boy or girl...i just wanted healthy.

i would converse with my lil friend in my belly...and ask that "it" be patient with me. i warned "it" that i wasn't a very good mother...but i had some good points...i was funny and quirky, i loved to bake and cook...i was an artist...and i was willing...willing to give it my all. i also pointed out to this being that it would have a really cute big sister...and a wonderful 'papa'

in the wee morning of september  27th...i couldn't stop cleaning...from about midnight until 5 am...i cleaned...when i finally layed down at 5am...less than a minute later i heard and felt a pop...and my water broke...we were at the hospital within the hour...with me having serious contractions...and by 9:20am he came. he wasn't due to early oct.

he came. fast.

so fast he broke his collarbone during delivery.

everything about my son has been fast. he walked at 11 months...talked at a year...and from the start had an obvious sense of humor.

he was "joking" with us from about 4 months...he would watch yael...follow her with his eyes and then "do" things to interact with her...and cause a laugh.

5 years later.

today michael yosef is:

the kind of boy that makes you dream of the man he'll be. he's charming and witty...yet incredibly sensitive and loving. he's funny and full of jokes and loves to laugh heartedly from his belly out. he loves food and eating...dreams of being able to cook and constantly accompanies me in the kitchen. he loves to read...and is often found with a book, this year before entering kindergarten he placed in 4th grade in reading...he devours words and reading...he loves to build things...particularly with legos and with papa...he also loves cars, shiny cars, futuristic cars.

he also loves to say "i love u," he loves to tell me how much he loves me...and how wonderful i am as a mom...as if he remembers those conversations i had with him in-utero...as if reassuring me. 

he's thoughtful...he's hilarious...he's a beautiful surprise.

i'm thankful.

the best kind of birthday.

intently trying to figure out his new ben-10 watch

so yesterday we as a family celebrated his birth. it was the best kind of birthday to have. one that focuses on life. we spent time with family...stayed home together...and played.

he choose papa's "egg breakfast" of scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, turkey bologna and toast for breakfast, homemade vegan-like pizza for dinner, and vegan chocolate cake with raspberry filling and vanilla "butter"cream icing...

he got to choose what he wore...and also helped me ice and make the cake...

he spent the afternoon building new lego cars with papa...and watching coraline...for the 2nd time with yali...

mykey and abuelito...

he played with abuelito and abuelita...laughed and played with balloons...took a long nap...and told me over and over how wonderful his birthday was.

this is the best kind of birthday...feeling loved, special and happy...feeling like nothing is every better...

this is the kind of birthday i love to give my children...reminding them of how they came to us...their birth story...reminding them of how they've grown...celebrating them...

it was the best way of celebrating life...

here are more pictures from yesterday:

 big sis...with 2 teeth missing...

blowing out his candle later...(some how the #5 candle that i bought got misplaced)

she got a "lil" gift too...i don't like leaving the other child out...

leftover birthday dinner...soy cheese pizza with veggies and pineapples...

vegan chocolate cake with raspberry filling and vanilla "butter"cream icing...may not look like it, but it was heavenly...

have a wonderful day...and make sure you celebrate life!

peace, ki