Eulogy to Observing

While I am looking forward to starting my new land-based job, there are some things about tagging along on commercial fishing trips I will miss. Like the irony of being out on a huge, ugly, dirty, killing vessel in the midst of the most awe- (and sometimes fear-!) inspiring landscape, teeming with millions of unknown little beings beneath its surface. Like meeting interesting new people whose friendliness and general goodness remind me that my faith in humanity isn't entirely unfounded. Like relishing a night spent in one's own bed, early in and late rising, because it might happen about once a month. And the like the opportunities to take some really cool pictures like these.

Deep Into The Dungeons of "El Diablo"!

Being at the Backwoods Companion's homestead this lovely wintry morning has inspired me to try to get some wood stove shots. Back when I used to live in the cabin, the fire was anything but romantic. There was no glass front on the stove. If the chimney got too hot, it crackled like your entire house was going to go up in flames. And it was our only source of heat. Not so endearing and cozy when it was 32 degrees, I could see my breath, and I couldn't get the damn thing to catch. But now that I don't have to deal with it regularly -- totally great! Quaint! Old-timey! Possibly even romantic.

When I got the reminder for Artsy Sunday, I said, oh, well, I can't do it this Sunday because I'm not home today. But then I remembered I had my camera, and there's art to be found everywhere, especially when you have a camera!

It's not FAIR!

I've met alot of great people at craft fairs, but the events are burning a hole in my pocket and in my calendar. I've only peddled my wares at two different ones, but both times I have come out behind when I factor in table fees and materials and time to make items. I have spent about 15 hours of setup, sitting, and breakdown and Buddha only knows how many hours crafting items. I think nimble-fingered children in China making Nikes end up making more per hour than I do.

Granted, I'm not trying to support myself by doing this. I have a full-time job. Am I expecting too much of a hobby? Is breaking even too much to shoot for? Should I continue to frequent craft fairs for the comeraderie that lack of customers incites? Who else will buy from my fellow crafters if I'm not there to walk around, leaving my lonely table unattended without even a backwards glance? Are craft fairs a thing of the past? Are they still just a place for dish towels with knitted hang tops and crocheted barbie clothes? Boiled hot dogs and overpriced coffee? Dodgy baked goods and tacky knick knacks?

I'd much rather be selling my photography than selling cat toys (which I could use some nimble fingers for making -- it's so labor-intensive!). But people pass the pictures right by. They don't bother to look. It's not even that they look and don't like. They just don't look. But where is the best place to put something so it doesn't take up valuable space in your home? On the wall! I need to start buying more art, methinks, considering I have to blaze trails through the jungle of laundry and craft supplies littering my home. The only room left is on the wall.

So here's what I propose: We take back the craft fair! We should start calling them handmade arts fairs or something, anything that doesn't imply a church basement full of mothball-scented baby layette sets! I want to see more felting, more batik, more papercrafts, more original clothing and accessories, more ART. How can we do it?

Fabricaholics Anonymous

Could it be?! More cat costumes? Oh yes, it very well could be! Purry is here to pimp your pussy with her shop at www.purry.etsy.com. This little feline hatred-inspiring ensemble is festive for fall, yet stylish for the tacky-conscious kitty. And I love how Purry understands that though a person may buy an outfit for their cat, they will not necessarily get them to wear it for long. This Etsy seller also has another shop at natorious.etsy.com, where you can find a good mix of items, including an awesome painting set of kitties in yoga poses. Cuteness!!! I'll have to suggest that the yoga class at my gym implement the "frontward-facing anus lick" pose.

And in regards to other cuteness, I've finally finished the fish kitty bed. I think it came out awesome! It was tough using a pattern and following directions, as I usually tend to kinda throw things together and do them my own way. Use pins? Baste? What? So say hey for following directions. But not only are the seams attractive, but it's actually attractive to the furries! I put Little Man in it for some pictures, and I couldn't get him to come out. He fell asleep in it for a while once I gave up. It's something I would definitely love to make again if people on Etsy are interested in it. I really lucked out on finding cool fabrics that went together well. I hope I have some more luck. A great excuse to frequent Joanne's like the fabricaholic that I am!

Do you find yourself lost in stacks of fabric in your own home? Can you never pass up a cute remnant, justifying your purchase by saying, "I'll make SOMEthing out of it SOMEday." Do you find an odd sense of comfort and satisfaction in picturing squirrels stashing away nuts for the winter? Then you may just be a fabricaholic. My name is Sarah, and I am a fabricaholic. I'm not yet drowning in fabric, but it has taken over one room of my house. But perhaps that's just because I'm messy and have all my craft supplies stacked everywhere in plastic bags... But I have yards of fabric, curtains, tablecloths, blown-out jeans, scraps...all vying for the attention of me and my Singer 600E, the new love of my life. I think I may even have to write a love poem for it, I heart it so much. I guess I should stack all of my fabric findings around the sewing machine, like a shrine to it. Oh, this will be great! Off to find candles!

Crafticles

I think I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm all set to be decoupaging, knitting, sewing clothes and cat items, baking cat treats, painting with watercolors, and needle felting. I hate to be a "jack of all trades, master of none", but it all either is or seems to be so much fun! My computer room is filled with stacks of fabric and bags from JoAnns. I have glaze, shells, nautical charts, wooden shapes, ribbon, sand, baskets, yarns, tags, thread...and not enough time in the day. I may have enough craft supplies to amuse me for about ten years or more. But now that I have a stockpile -- is it possible to be inspired and original when you've been dancing around the same materials for months or years? Can it be just as creative to simply use what you have instead of creating your exact vision?



One of my recent ideas is perfect for taking to work with me. I work as a data collector for the government on commercial fishing boats, so the downtime is perfect for hand stitching cute cat toys. It's that or stare at the wall once you've read all your books. One can only pack so many books before the bag is too heavy to pick up. So I've been making these little birdie cat toys. I love the way the blanket stitch looks around the edges, and it's hard to keep my cats off the feathers and catnip when I'm making them at home. I'm hoping to have a decent stash to bring to my next craft fair at Liberty Hall in Marstons Mills, MA on December 6th. I took a special day off of work for it, so I hope it goes well (i.e. I make the table money back).

I also just made a really nice cat bed from my own pattern. I even lined up the plaid fabric so it's not all cockeyed. It came out really quite nice. Right now, I'm working on a fish-shaped cat bed/tent. It has some great furry fabric accents, and, well it's a fish. How cool is that?!

So I guess that while I am ahead of myself in materials, I've at least been relatively fruitful. But sometimes it's hard to stop sewing and go to the gym. I'll be sewing myself some new fat clothes if I'm not careful. EEK!

Holidays in the Wind

Block Island was amazing. I'm so glad we went during the off season. It was so quiet.

The entire island is only about 11 square miles. There were only a few paved roads, and maybe two dozen shops all clustered in one area, mostly closed for the season.

As the grey sky loomed and the gusty winds blew, it seemed as if the island was stuck in time -- farms with cows, horses, and geese, old hotels with big porches and rocking chairs overlooking the water, dirt roads, cliffs overlooking the ocean that actually didn't have houses on them. Usually a location's natural areas are the only places you can find real, serene, understated beauty. Not so with Block Island. The entire thing was just one picturesque sight after another.



The island is a perfect place for a vacation alone, and I'm not even really a proponent of solo dining or solo moviegoing. Those things are actually quite weird and sad. But Block Island in the off season is the place to be when you want to be alone with your thoughts and relax. It doesn't even require deep contemplation and all that stuff that people talk about but never actually do. You can just be; you don't have to think at all. Only open your eyes, take it in, and remember.



*~Check soon at my Etsy shop for some new photographs from Block Island!~*

Mini-Break in Striper A-Go-Go Land

I'll be heading off to Block Island for four days starting this Sunday! I'm hoping the post-tourist, chilly, autumn atmosphere will prove relaxing and inspiring. I've bought a new SD card for my camera, and I'm going to pick up some watercolors, I think. I may end up making a kindergarten-style mess of stick figures and "Ooh, honey, that's a great - ....what is it?"s, but there's no harm in trying. I've recently found a creative bone in my body (it may be my pelvis...oo baby), so I've been trying to build it up and nurture it (with some thrusting and such). The acceptable fruits of my labors are up for sale at my Etsy shop.

In regards to de-fattening, never fear the mini-break, I keep telling myself! You will not gain back those 40 pounds you've lost, nor will you continue forever on this seemingly endless (4 months, peeps) plateau of flabby doom. The Backwoods Companion and I are packing healthy foods (read also: cheap foods, as shite on the island goes for double or more) for breakfasts and lunches whilst on holiday, and I'm pretty sure island cuisine will consist of baked seafood and vegetables for dinner most nights. I'll also be bringing multiple sets of workout clothing for varying weather and some weights and resistance band. I'm actually pretty excited to run around the island. It seems like it will be some seriously awesome atmosphere, and I'll be able to scope out some good photography spots on my way. Hopefully I will diligently forget the locations of bakeries, chocolatiers, and ice cream shops that I run by.

The BC will be spending alot of his time fishing. That was actually the impetus for the trip, and the fact that there is an ocean-view motel and nice little shops on a beautiful island is only secondary to the amount of striped bass found in the waters off the coast. That will leave me to fish until I give up in frustration and then spend hours upon hours relaxing alone in quiet solitude. Lordy, lordy, who took my forty? I can't wait!!!