AND CAPS! Gary Fisher you ROCK! AND Cycle City in Alameda.

AND I spent all day in my workshop making caps.  I thought that I might want to mention it because this is a textile Blog.

The caps are turning out really well to.  Just a bit more tweaking and the pattern will be complete.  I thought that I had it all dialed in.  But I was using a twill fabric and it hangs differently than the calico cotton I am using for the summer caps.  Man that is FRUSTRATING.   Then it all comes together and I am "feeling good."

I must also admit that my new bike is kicking my, well you know.  I love it so much.  I keep riding and riding even though I am tired.  The other night I just rode around the block for 25 min.  This is after a day at work and a 30 min bike ride home.  It was after nine at night.  It was just so good.  The moon was out and the stars too.  Just beautiful, and I had it all to myself.  

This is the best bike.  I went to Cycle City in Alameda.  It is two blocks from my house.  Really.  The main thing is that they were very kind and patient with me.  I spent all day trying out bikes.  It really was all day.  I got this sweet Gary Fisher Simple City.  It is soo good I had to make my self a new cap to wear while riding it.

It's a new life,

Mary

Feeling Good... Nina Simone and Adam Lamert

Hi,

I have to admit it.  I keep saying that I don't watch American Idol.  That I only watch it because I am spending time with Dolores (Landlady/Friend).  Okay.  I watch it.  I enjoy it.  Lucky for me we skip through most of Mr. Seacrest and the advertisements.  See Dolores has TWO degrees in music.  I feel like I am learning how to hear.  It is great.

This is the part that I am even more sheepish about.  I love the song (Feeling Good) that Adam Lamert sang last night.  I keep listening to it.  Yep, I bought it on i-tunes.  I have listened to it ten times tonight.  It is just so good.  I found out Nina Simone sang it.  I bought a copy of her singing it too.  Man, I dig that tune.  When Adam Lambert sings  it on stage he swaggers.  It is up there with my favorites now.  It is even up there with Take Five (Dave Brubeck), and Hay Jupiter (Tori Amos).

Sometimes when I am riding my bike I feel just like that song.   It is at times like this that I feel that the bike is joined with me.  We are going fast, and graceful.  Everyone else and everything else melts away and it is just us.  Just beauty, air, my body moving with rhythm in time and through space.  I can feel the wind and star light against my skin.  This is my church.  This is when I am ... and then I have no words to tell you.  But you could just listen to the song.  Close your eyes let the sounds wash over you. 

Stars you know how I feel,

Mary

New fabric! and Plimoth Jacket! I got to sew spangles.

Hi Everyone,

A big thank you to everyone for being so kind to me.  I am feeling like my blues are fading and I am ready to sew/create once more.

I have tomorrow saved for sewing at my workshop.   I have some new ideas about how to construct the bill of the cycle caps.  I will post pictures as soon as I can.

Other news is that I have been doing more water colors and feel like they are getting pretty good.  There is a watercolor workshop coming up and I am trying to figure out if I can afford to go or not.  I hear great things about the teacher so I am inclined to attend.   Any thoughts?

Also I met some great new people at Needle in a Haystack.   One of which is the person in charge of the Plimoth Jacket -- Tricia Wilson Nguyen.    It is fantastic and I can't wait to show you photos of me -- that is right me working on it.  Here is a link to her blog.  Please check it out.  It is just too cool.  I will write more about all of this soon.  

thistle-threads.com/blog/

See everyone soon,

Mary E.

Colonel John S. Dodge Air Force aka Granddad

Good Evening Everyone,

My Grandfather passed away last night.  So, I will most likely taking a few days off from blogging.  I am very lucky that both my Grandma and Sister Suzan are with me.  

--Mary

www.legacy.com/obituaries/insidebayarea/obituary.aspx?n=john-s-dodge&pid=126274538

link to my Granddad obituary 

The pleasure of ETSY!

Good Morning Everyone,

Well, I have a full day planned for today.  I am going to make a cap for Hal my newest cap fan.  He ordered the Red Heart Lupe Cap from my etsy site.  I am so happy.   Hal has sent me the sweetest emails.  It is just such a pleasure to make caps (or anything for that mater) for folks who really understand the goodness of a handmade item.  It is why I love to work on Etsy.

Hal lives in the same town as Charm City Cakes: Baltimore.  It is the home of The Ace of Cakes, one of my favorite shows.  (Side note: Tori Amos won a Baltimore song writing competition as a child.  She is a cute kid in the video — belting out her love of this town)  I am such a big fan about this show and the folks who work at C.C.C.   Really, what could be more traditional than a wedding cake?  When you think of a wedding cake an image pops to mind: White, fancy, flowers, multiple levels.   CCC cakes have wires and decorations coming off of them and flame job paintings, fireworks just fun crazy beautiful designs.  Charm City Cakes is a business that makes and sells an alternative to the codified type. They are extreme and loved. It inspires me not to compromise on my design.  Sometimes folks try to temper my style to make it more sale-able.  Which is a good thing they are wanting to help me,  however, I am just now finding this voice of mine and it is ... well I don't know.  I am finding that out everyday.  My point is that the success of Charm City Cakes shows that there is a place for a different point of view.  Maybe there is a place for my quirky point of view too.

The wonderful exciting part is that you get to see if I can do it.  More than that you make it possible for me to have this creative life.  I am very  thankful to all of you.  Have a great Hump day.  Photos later… of Hals cap with a twist!

Yours,

Mary

P.S. Found this great music via the Found Mag. Tour.  The Watson Twins are fab!  Here is a link to the audio part of their website.  I can't get enough of them. 

www.thewatsontwins.com/audioplayer.php

Just go to the Audio in the menu bar.  You can listen to the album before you buy it! :)  The first song is so good.  I just gotta say one more thing.  Darn they have a great Web Page.  Check it out! m