Quarantining and KonMari-ing

 

The perfect match.

 

 

~ Quarantine Collection, Fedora and Florals, Han Cao ~ 

 

 

 

Yes, I was feeling swallowed up by all my things after being sheltered-in-place for the last 5 (or was it 6?) months now.  

~ "Paisajes" series, Cecilia Paredes, multi-media artist ~

Especially by my hand-made clothes and that unrelenting fabric stash.  Oh, my.

 ~ Phyllis Galembo, Fine Art Photographer ~

 

 

 So, after reading Marie Kondo's Spark Joy and starting with her first step of tidying,

I pulled out all my clothes in one place...

  

~ Song Dong, installation artist ~

No, I didn't make an art installation out of it (darn!), it was more like a mountain overflowing the bed.  I did, however, manage it somewhat by excavating one sub-category of clothes at a time.  That would be "tops."  I did want to be able to sleep on the bed every night after all.  And I have a lot of clothes. 

No, I don't have any pictures of the process.  I was too involved in it.  You're supposed to gather all the clothes from wherever they might be in the house.  (Excluding those of my spouse.  He has the bare minimum anyway.)  

 

I did include my mother's stuff that had been left untouched in the so-called guest room since she passed away 6 years ago.  And the enclosed back porch off my sewing room which contained all the clothes I was going to recycled.  aiyiyi.  You can't imagine.

 

 I actually ended up trying on everything to see if I liked it, if it fit, if I would wear it, and most importantly if it "sparked joy."  If it did, it went into another pile in the adjoining room for saved "tops."  The discarded items went into a black garbage bag for Goodwill.  My husband put them in the car right away so I wouldn't be tempted to go through them again.  They went to Goodwill at regular intervals.

I kept track of how many bags went out and how many piles stayed in.  Tops: 4 out, 4 in.  Of the 4 to keep: 2 summer, 1 winter & 1 to mend.  The whole process for tops took 2 days.

 

Stay tuned for the next update.

p.s.  I started tidying on Wednesday, July 8, 2020!

 

Evergreen in the Snow

~ Me, as a Christmas Tree ~

~ with flashing bike light as hair ornament ~

Wearing my first make of the Tina Givens Lotus pattern sewn from cotton jersey.  I hand-stitched it with multi-colored thread that goes through the color wheel of primary and secondary colors.   Maybe you can see it better here...

~  and Mom's ancient wreath pin made of sequins & seed beads  ~

~ plus $1 store reading glasses & scarf from Goodwill ~

 ~ not to mention, Irregular Choice pixie boots from ebay ~

Happy Holidays to each and everyone.  See you all next year!

But first, let's link up with Catherine's I Will Wear What I Like, for some Christmas cheer!

Hey, I'm Art Again Dress

~ moi, as a cutout ~

Actually, the photo was blurry so I had to do something, you know, creative to "make it work."

~ with all its bat wing splendor ~

The dress is made from Vogue 1482 by Rachel Comey.  I tell you, it was such a unique construction and so beautifully explained, illustrated and conceived.  All done with French seams, even the diagonal inserted pocket, using 100% cotton voile.

 

So I'm in the Copy Room at school, courtesy of Liz.  She was a spontaneous provider of the perfect photo props and opportunities.  Thanks Liz.

~ I see London, I see ah, what rhymes with slip? ~

Do note that I had to make a slip for this dress since all my others were too long - or this dress was so much shorter!  You can see many inches of it when I sit down.   But it's so pretty I think I could even wear it on its own.  Black fake charmeuse with lace, made up as I went along.

~ my Mom's cameo ~

I love this pin...

~ but check out my new-to-me ebay shoes!!!!! ~

Talk about luv, Trippens, Happy Collection.  And I am.  The ever cool sox are from Soxdreams.com.

And thanks to Sara for photo-ing on the last day of summer school.



I'll be heading on over to the Absolutely Fabulous gals when they go live:  Patti and the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style, Catherine at I Will Wear What I Like, and Cherie at Shoe and Tell.  See you all then.

Nothing Dramatic Here

Just a little something I hadn't posted yet.  I know it seems a little tame now, comparatively speaking.  But I like it all the same.  ahhhh, so comfy. 

~ teddy bears Mom made for kids in the hospital ~

Well, these too.  I found a whole bed full of them at Mom's house when I opened the door to my old room.


But what I'm really talking about is the first of my flannel shirt rehab experiments.  Everybody ready for a look-see?  Now, it's nothing dramatic; don't go expecting too much...okay?

grey flannel with grey corduroy and some other stuff*

drenched in bright sunlight

le back

and at rest next to the cat tree

*other stuff includes:  scraps of chiffon, lace, satin ribbon, floral drapery and cotton, hand-made bias tape, flagrant blue stitching over all holes in flannel shirt, and new old buttons.

This one probably took me the longest to put together because I didn't know what I was doing or where I was going with it.  The pants are made from the same grey-ish corduroy as the top using a Marcy Tilton pattern posted somewhere on the blog along while back.  Black suede clogs messed up and then beautified with rose appliques made from Mom's old sweatshirt.  Also blogged previously.

You can view this grey flannel dress/ top on my Clothes from Fall page, up close and in detail.  Meanwhile I'm joining Patti and all the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style.  Don't miss it, I tell ya.  Maybe I can even fit in with Spy Girl's 52 Pick me up: Frozen, that is, if it's about keeping warm rather than Disney...

Renewed and Reconsidered

~ Mother Self-Portrait, Otto, prismacolor pencil on board, 1977 ~

Something's happening here with these tablecloth dresses.  I tried to stop making them after finishing the 6th one.  (You haven't seen the last two yet).  And I found it rather difficult.  In fact, it seemed like I was a bit despondent, or bereft.   I mean it's pretty weird that I made 6 in a row of the same pattern to begin with -  I've never made more than 2 of any one thing that I recall.  I tried looking through books, patterns, online sources, but couldn't get motivated toward anything else.  I was in a pickle or more like a jar full of pickles.

Here's what I think is going on.  My reaction to stopping was a bit overblown for the reality of the situation.  Therefore it was probably symbolic.  What were tablecloth dresses symbolic of?  I'll give you one guess.  My mother.  Yep, they reminded me of home, the 50's when I was born, and Mom used to wear them when I was young (house dresses that is), while the table wore the cloths.

Mom wearing house dress and that's me!

Sh*t, I even used to wear them during the feminist movement in art school.  Back when there were no women artists in any History of Art books and all the art instructors were men.  I wore my Mom's old pink bakery uniforms as painting smocks in my art classes.  

me as grad student in my studio with portrait paintings

I even painted myself wearing 'em

or hanging there as a still life. 

I did figurative narratives which were personal.  Remember the Personal is Political?  Pink was my favorite color and I had lots of pink house dresses to wear. 

mixed media on board of me as an asst. cook at summer art camp

Maybe that's why I felt so comfortable wearing my current tablecloth dresses, like comfort food, you know?  Plus you can be so creative within confined limitations.  Figuring what goes together, where to place the pattern, etc.  


Anyway, here's what I've been doing since I've made myself stop and reconsider what I'm doing and why.  As Jean of Dross into Gold talks about in her latest post, A Meditation, being more mindful of it all in the moment.

Some are still in process, some are complete.  See them after the break...

State of Project Minima: End of Year Three

~ painting by Gritty Jane  ~

Yes, end of May 2014 was the last quarter of the 3rd year for Project Minima.   My, my, etc.  So let's see what's been going on, shall we?

During this past Spring Quarter (March through May) I did a major reworking of my studio space, discovered the Chicago Sewcialists and met up with them at the Textile Discount Outlet, made 4 dresses, 2 pair of stockings/ tights, 1 slip and a raincoat.  Okay then, not bad, not bad at all.  You can see 'em on my Clothes for Spring page (or go to the posts during that time period).

Oh, I also bought shoes on e-bay, as well as some patterns and occasionally some cloth.

What seems the biggest adventure at this moment is my tablecloth house dresses.  I've made two during this quarter from donated pieces and just love them.  More are on their way...

The State of Project Minima: Year 3, Qtr. 3

A rite of passage, these last three months.  Only now have I realized I did all hand sewing during this time.  hmmm.  ahhh.  yes.  That's nice, just for 3 months - starting and then stopping without conscious thought - as my Mom slipped away. 

~ painting by Vilhelm Hammershoi ~

But right before this hand-sewing marathon...I received the blessings of the Traveling Yellow Skirt in the mail. You can read/ see all about this amazing week-long adventure starting with this post:  The Day the Yellow Skirt Came To Call.  I cannot express what a difference the TYS made in my life and my mom's at that time.

Boy, Am I Outta Whack...

I don't want to get into it:  how confused I seem to be.  I mean really off. 

Nevertheless, here I am with a hat on.  And I made it.

sigh.  I made it by hand, while I sat by Mom's bed the last few days of her life.  

It took days and days and that was good.  

So now I can finally join Judith's Hat Attack!  whoo-hoo.  See you there.

Mom

b. November 15, 1926

d. January 18, 2014

The Yellow Skirt at Sunrise...and Mom

Here in Pao-land, the elders gather together during their transitional phase at a place called Sunrise.  It is settled in the middle of town, amongst all the liveliness a thriving metropolis has to offer.  It was there, then, the lady and her Yellow Skirt went to visit her one and only mother.

The Lady Accompanied by Her True Love at Sunrise

The great hall was festooned with the ancient symbols of a life celebrated whilst dying.  A tree cut down in its prime and ornamented.  Nature uprooted, brought indoors and be-ribboned along with tiny specks of colors twinkling day and night.

This is the scene our picture-makers reproduce most often, wherein the lady presents the Circle of Life to her Mother.

The Giving of the Wreath from Daughter to Mother

In actuality the Lady's Mother had made this Circle of Life her very self years ago, although she no longer remembers the fact. 

Check out those matching yellow socks!

The Lady's mother introduced Pao as her daughter to all those around her, and told everyone the story of the Yellow Skirt.  She was said to be very happy and repeated herself endlessly.  Afterward, Pao placed the Circle of Life on the front of her mother's door along with a photograph of this picture.  All who saw it smiled.


and yes, there's still more to come...

oh, and a gratuitous boot shot

...and I linked up with Sacramento's Share in Style Christmas here

and Sheila's Shoe Shine (a year later)!

The State of Project Minima: Year 3, 2nd Qtr.

Time flies.  And so do I, in circles, orbiting around my Mom's downward spiral, now in hospice.  sigh.

painting by Irene Ferguson

Everything is okay, as well as can be, all things considered.  yeah.  

I've been sewing this quarter anyway, although not picture-taking.  yet.  

And I've just heard I'm next in line for the Traveling Yellow Skirt!  

How cool is that?!  

Just what the doctor ordered to get me out of the blues 

and into sunshine yellow blogospheric fashion is serious sistah blissness.   

Can I get it together to do stats...?  I don't have anything posted that I made this quarter so it's not so easy to do...hmmm.   

Ed. note:  I've just posted all the items made in Fall Quarter on the Clothes for Fall page.

The State of Project Minima - Year 3, 1st Qtr.

Yes, I'm going into my third year now for Project Minima.  This summer quarter, production pretty much stopped alongside my mom's rapid decline in health.

Painting by Sally Moore.

It was only after she was relocated to a senior living community near us in Chicago last month, that I was able to focus on a new type of construction.  A Dress-Ability.  The confluence of mom being a bit more settled and of me being asked to participate in a show at my old gallery brought forth a renewed burst of creativity.

The only piece I produced this quarter was a dress made from an old turquoise top I deconstructed and various bits & pieces of fabric I auditioned from my stash.  I embroidered it's name, "Bounce Back-Ability" across the front.  I suspect it will become part of a series of Dress-Abilities.   You can see close ups of it on my Clothes from Summer page.

That was Then, This is Now

painting by Marieloes Reek

I've just started sewing again!!!!!!!! Smile, smile, smile.  

Mom has settled into a new place in Chicago.  I've settled down again.  And I serendipitously was invited to show a new piece at my old gallery for their 40th anniversary.  A that was then and this is now type of thing.  Yea, baby.  That is so right on. 

I have two weeks to make it so.  More anon.  wheeeee.....

And can't wait to catch up with the good ole bloggerhood, missed you like crazy.  Thanks for the good vibes!

There's a New Normal in Town

I don't know where I'm at in relation to it.  Yessireebob, can't make head nor tails out of things lately, but I'm still here anyhow, plugging along, skipping a beat now and again, making do, making time and then just being.

Gloves Meeting by Eloise de Hauteclocque

Thank goodness for my true love and that's the truth.  A bridge over troubled water.  Meanwhile Mom's in the hospital again.  She's "okay," per the latest version of normal.  What's that Zappa song?..there's no way to delay, that trouble comin' every day.  enough whining.

We're now looking for assisted living in Chicago because driving every week to Detroit is not working out.  Once that is settled, it should help a great deal.  But there is so much involved first.

painting by Robert Zeller

I have not been able to sew since Mother's Day, mid-May, when this all started.  I can't focus.  I think about her and what needs to be done all the time.  There are constant calls back and forth between me and various providers, etc.  Otherwise I just sleep.  I am the only relative she has.  And vice versa.  I know how the story ends, but the way there is still very hard to manage.  Everything seems foreign and unknowable - both practically and emotionally, ethically and financially, medically and psychologically. 

Yes, I'm still whining.  Which is why I haven't been posting.  or visiting blogs.  sorry.  I don't know what else to do or how else do be right now.  Greetings from a new place in pao-land!

Hold the Light, pastel drawing by Sharon Yamamoto
 "It is our choice to hold negative beliefs as the truth or to hold the light."

Thanks so much to all who have commented, your kind thoughts and words are appreciated and make me feel connected when I need it most.  I'm looking forward to being fun again, sometime, someday...

State of Project Minima: Y2 Q4

The Summer Quarter for Year Two of Project Minima has been stopped in its tracks by my Mom's sudden turn of events.  Rather, by my state of coping I should say.  Nevertheless, following is my summary.

painting by Haidee Becker

I've completed 13 pieces this quarter, all from patterns except 1 skirt that was simply gathered at the waist.  Some were very complicated designs, however.  Like the Koos Spring Coat and the Koos Kaftan, wherein I used multiple pieces of fabric from my stash.  

You can see the clothes I made on my Spring Clothes page. 

With the Fishes

What a difference a week makes!  More on that later.
Today I'm focusing on the inspiration for Style Imitating Art:   

David Wiesner, from his book, Flotsam

So here I am underwater again

wearing my newly made, Koos designed, kaftan

plus my nail polished, polka dotted, $ store reading glasses and my newly painted old sandals.

Darn.  I did it again.  Hit publish before I was finished posting.  sigh.  Okay, let me continue after the break.

Mom Trip

There once was a girl named pao

Pao with Mom-made teddy bear,
self-made nightgown and 
pantaloons made from Mom's kitchen curtains

And she thought Mother's Day was a very good day

to celebrate Mom things,

ya know?

So let's get this MOM TRIP on the road!

Here's the picture book I made about me and her...

Just click here and scroll to bottom of page to see the book.
(For a real laugh, view/ hear the video of our road trip at the same site.)

Go ahead, I'll wait for you.  They'll be more after the break.

Have Singer, Will Sew

~Singer Model 99K, 1952~

Mom gave me her old Singer Sewing Machine when I visited this week.  I looked up the serial # and found out it was manufactured the same year I was born - 1952!  Awesome.

She's a real beauty too.  Shiny black metal with gold art deco scroll work. mmm, mmm.

Road Trip Wardrobe

My It's Hot, Hot, Hot! Outfit

Oh, Oh, do I get to do a "Travel Capsule" or whatever they're called, for a road trip to visit Mom?  Yes, let's!  Okay, it's only for 3 days, mostly on the road and then just at Mom's house.  Well, to travel in I wore:

stretch lace crop top

and sarong skirt

with this underneath

Of course everything here is made-from-scratch or refashioned to fit.  It was very hot here, on the road, and where we were going.  At mom's I wore:

The Next Generation

painting by Gaston La Touche.

Just a wee note.  I have pix of my baby clothes that I gave to a new baby.  These were the ones my Mom hand-sewed for the infant me and then gave to me this past Fall.

You can read more about them in my post Hand Me Downs   And then again in Life Laundry - White Wash.  So cute.