Great Dickens!

Yeah, we are total geeks. I make my family dress up for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair every year. My older daughter refused to be photographed with us ( did I mention that I force them?) but here's the rest of us in our period finery.

We have such a good time, especially when we remember to sneak our period-appropriate flask in with us!

Here we are with friends Marie Plette, Mark Streshinsky, and various children who attached themselves to us in hopes of a free lunch.

Backstage at Ariadne auf Naxos

So I actually got to be IN this opera, and not just lurk backstage with a needle and thread. Here's the amazing Amanda Moody

You may know her as the world-famous Marie Plette, but she'll always be my quilting buddy:

And here's the phenomenal Buffy Baggot, who appears as The Composer. We had absolutely no fun together at all, ever.

 Last, but not least, is Sacha the luminous makeup artist. Funny how she never seems to need any makeup with that gorgeous glowing skin she's got:

The San Francisco Chronicle loved us, by the way. Did I mention that part?

more inspiration for Caliban...

i actually just want to give these kids a bath. it's more difficult to make a costume filthy and ragged (yet actually durable and hygenic!) than one might think.

Caliban

Just going to be posting some inspiration shots for the new show I'm working on. It's a world premiere, so I am starting from scratch, somewhat. Oy. Here's what I ended up with

 (edited later) and thankfully, the reviews were pretty decent!

Garment District!

Sorry it's so blurry - I'm still shaky from walking EIGHTY THOUSAND FREAKING MILES today through Midtown Manhattan! Oh my gosh, I just love it here so much! Didn't stop to eat or drink all day because I just want to spend all my time walking around looking at things, people, stores, etc. My haul, above, was purchased based on weight, as in, not much so I could carry it for hours. I scored three feet for my machine from what has to be the world's best sewing-machine-foot-only store. Buttons were purchased for a trench coat from a button-only store.

Also, while in town, I got to reconnect with SO MANY old friends!

Like Dave, whom I haven't seen since high school.

And one of my oldest friends, Sean! He is a world traveler and has also started his own NY-based walking tour company, the Gothamologist. I'd take his tour any day - he has an eye for adventure and an ear for unusual stories and urban legends.

I also got to hang with Jeff, another good friend from high school days. He now teaches at the Waldorf School in Manhattan and does a bit of spinning, knitting and sewing of his own!

All in all, a fabulous vacation. I'd move to Manhattan any day!

Birthday Gift

My daughter's best friend is turning eight today, and I wanted to whip her up a little somethin-something. Hope she likes it!

I just love these complementary prints - it's just from JoAnn Fabrics but it feels a bit more special somehow.

Quilt for School Raffle

this thing is finally DONE!!! Oh my gosh, I thought all the hand stitching was going to be the death of me. All the rickrack, handstitched. All the yo-yo's, handstitched. And the binding - don't even get me started.
It's a full size, but here's a corner: