Bodhisartva ..... Art/Spirit/Life

The Continuing Coptic Adventures

Why I don't stick with the easy-peasey long stitch, I don't know.  A glutton for punishment must I be.  But, this book called out to me for coptic, so I responded appropriately, not remembering how much I HATE coptic binding.  Well, not hate; it looks lovely, but it takes so much brainpower!  I have a headache.

The epic story of a handmade coptic stitch book with a metal cover.

#1  Take a blank sheet of brass.

#2  Cover it with globs and swirls and massive quantities of silver solder.  (Thanks to Stephanie Lee for teaching this.)

#3  Sink a medallion into the front. Use a solution to make it look old.

#-1  You've already aged and torn down the Japanese paper for the signatures, so..

#4  Against your better judgment, begin sewing the coptic stitch, you fool.

#5  Well, that's not working out too well, is it?  Halfway through, take it all out and do it again. Finish attaching the back cover.

#6  You're still not paying attention, are you?  Cut the waxed linen off the spine and pull out all the stitches yet again.  Drink a glass of champagne and go to bed.

Fade to black....

#7 Better now?  Veeerrryy carefully sew the stitches, paying close attention to the diagrams that make no sense and drive you crazy.

#8  Do the best you can to hide the screw-ups.

#9  Use an antique button for the clasp and old mala beads for the tie-end.

#10  Tie all sorts of ribbons and old buttons and pearls on the spine.  That's right.  The spine with all the *^&^%(&* stitches that you worked so hard to make perfect.  Yes, that's what I said.  Cover them up. You're an idiot.

#11  Gaze lovingly at your handiwork and vow solemnly to never.  Ever.  Never do a coptic book again.  Yeah, you said that last time.  Sucker.

Kinokuniya Joy

I made an unplanned trip to Little Tokyo on Saturday and decided to make it worth my while by going to Kinokuniya.  If you have never been there, you owe yourself a visit.  I love to wander and enjoy the pens and pencils, the papers, the beautiful books, the laughable and charming titles on the notebooks.

But THEN....then I saw THIS display and went nuts.

We're talking masking tape here, my friends.  Gorgeous colors and patterns.  No way to choose or buy them all.  So, I got these for now.

I'm hyperventilating just looking at them!  Placed them in a little colander on my work desk and I've been playing with them - so much fun!  Hmmm...now....which ones will I get next time?

Topped off the day with a stop at my favorite Yogurtland!  Yum. New York Cheesecake and Pomegranate Raspberry. Took the train home and watched the snow on the mountains....a perfect day.

Long Beach Flea Market

I'm getting very fond of this market.  Last weekend, Gina and I braved the threatening skies and found some amazing things!  She, in particular, had great luck.  I got only a few things, but I love them all.

My favorite, of course, is the wonderful old hand - from an old mannequin; you can see how it attached to the arm.  You know how I am about hands.

In fact, it has been pointed out to me that I collect a lot of things.  I believe the comment was, "What DON'T you collect?".  Well, let's see...I don't collect clowns, or toy trucks or old lightbulbs or used chewing gum.  Anything else?  Well, maybe.  I do collect so many different things that I forget what they are sometimes. That IS bad, isn't it?

I'll let you be the judge soon when I post my various gatherings. Until then, if you see any celluloid buttons or bakelite dice, let me know, won't you?

Beyond the Flea Market

Honest, I do not live at flea markets.  Truly.  I actually sometimes go other places.  Like antique malls.  There is a particularly wonderful one in Orange called "Country Roads".  I've found tons of great stuff there.

Here's the story of one such item.

 
It started out as a very rustic painted box with metal trays; the wood in such terrible shape that it wasn't even "funky", just "junky".  I thought I could use it for jewelry project in process - I never seem to be able to finish anything in one sitting.  I always wait for the rest of the inspiration to come to me.

I collaged the outside and lined the trays so the jewelry wouldn't shift around and voila!

Now, if I would just get to work and actually make something....

The End of Christmas

I promise I will move forward into the present and the future next post.  But I just have to share one more Christmas thing.

Katie brought this back from New York City.  I'm sure most people would have passed it by, but she knows that I like odd things and this is certainly it!  You take the flame and dripping wax off the top, fill with salt or pepper and voila! - an elegant accessory for your holiday table.  ROFL - I love it!

Sadly, I actually tried to use it on Christmas Day and when she shook the pepper candle, the entire contents spilled out onto her mashed potatoes.  OK, I get it - it's just for show.  I'll remember that, I really will.

Going Back in Time...

OK, this is really sad.

I'm so behind on this blog that I never even posted about Christmas or New Year's or anything.  I'm going to make it up now by going back ...through the mists of time....into the not so distant past....And I should warn you - it's all about the food.

New Year's was a quiet time on Mt. Washington...until midnight when the fireworks started.  Before that, we had some fireworks going on in our mouths from these incredible stuffed mushrooms.  They were heavenly.

 

On New Year's Day, we had the traditional "Hoppin' John" with black-eyed peas.

Going back now - For us, food on Christmas starts with a special breakfast, after the stockings are opened.  It always includes some tamales (as if we didn't eat enough the night before!)  Hmm, look closely and you might figure out just who cooked the breakfast (well, they all did, actually).  Dinner is turkey with all the trimmings, my mom's strawberry jello mold with sour cream/marshmallow topping and Christmas cookies for dessert.

Tomorrow.....more wanderings in Christmasland. 

By the way, I have not yet put away my decorations.  Why does that not surprise you?

Nifty-Thrifty

Just spent a wonderful day with my soon-to-return-to-college Katie, visiting the thrift stores of Oxnard and Ventura.  The night before, she researched them and drew up two amazingly accurate and easy to follow maps.  She put on the oldies station all the way up from L.A. and we made excellent time up and down the hills.

Katie is the queen of vintage and can put together outfits and get away with things no one else can carry off.  I wish I had taken a picture of her with her new 50s hairdo and fabulous velveteen hat.  But did I?  uh-uh.  You'll have to settle for her long hair and a fruity plastic bracelet I found at PCC Flea Market.

  While she, young and slender, browsed the racks of clothes in store after store, I, older and plumper, hunted up the housewares and such.  I am completely delighted with my find for $10.99 - a set of 7 painted metal trays. 

I loved these three, but the rest were all one different pattern, and I wasn't keen on it.  C'est la vie.

We then headed up to Ventura to see what they had and stopped at Nicklebys, which is closing folks, so get up there! 30-50% off everything. 

I found this sterling acorn pin (you do know I collect acorns) and a sterling flask that I will use in a necklace. 

And, this cunning little box that was labeled "drill bit holder" but I think it held a set of number stamps. Whatever - I am using it to hold, um, something.  I tried a few items but it wasn't the best choice for it.  I am sure something will show up. It's tiny - three inches high and not even two and a half wide.

And remember that tray pattern I didn't like?  I found the same tray at Nickleby - one tray mind you - for $20.  Hmmm...maybe I could learn to like this pattern.

That's all for now from the wild and wacky world of shopping.  This Sunday - Long Beach Flea Market with Gina - Yay!

Flee to the Flea - Start the Year Off Right!

Ah, my first flea market fix of the year.  So satisfying. So tiring. So HOT!  While I am a new convert to the Long Beach market, Pasadena City College is my first love.

I was quite restrained today, actually.  My favorite moment was when I was browsing the floor of the booth, carrying two cool brushes while I checked to see if anything else caught my eye.  Suddenly, the owner came up to me with an open plastic bag, deposited the brushes into it and said, "Five dollars!".  A wee bit desperate, perhaps, but heck, it was a good price and I wanted them.

My favorite find was this.  The size is so great and I love the clasp, but it was a bit pricey because it has a lot of photos in it.  I didn't really care about the photos, but I did want this "Mother's" plaque.  I got them both for the price of the album!  Happy.

The oddest find was maybe this.  It cost me one dollar, one measly dollar.  I had to have it because they look like books and have their own bookcase.

Two more Mother's plaques and three little books and I was done.

This is the sweetest book. Look at those titles!  Marcus Aurelius, Emerson, John Ruskin....Don't I wish I could find the rest of the series?  The illustrations are lovely also.

A small haul, but I am not disappointed - because that means I have money left for the Long Beach market in two weeks!

New Year's Resolvamentations

How do you feel about New Year's Resolutions? A lot of people don't make them anymore and research shows that most of them aren't kept anyway.

But I like the idea of a fresh beginning and a clean slate and a world of possibilities. I don't make "resolutions", but I do resolve to be and to do.  This year, see if you don't recognize in me that gleeful baby there.

On New Year's Day, I spent some time thinking about me and the choices I make.  There is someone deep inside who is the truth, but I have gotten into the habit of not letting her out.  Over the years, I have made decision quite often based on what others need and who they need me to be.  Oh, don't get me wrong - I've gotten over being a martyr and I do put myself first a lot - I've learned that at least.  But, I do see how I alter my dance to fit the steps and tempo of others. That is not only damaging to me, but is unfair to them.

I'm trying to think of when I was most truly myself. What was it like to waltz through my day and simply be myself?  I haven't quite nailed it down, but I think I was perhaps 18.  But I do remember a girl in love with life and people and the world.  Generous.  Laughing more often than not.  Contemplative and serious and creative.  I'm still all those things but there's a breakdown somewhere in the system. 

When you're young, you have all the time in the world.  When you are older, you not only see but feel that your time is limited.  As the saying goes, "If not now, when?"  Now or never may be the response.

It's Hard To Know

...why we say the things we do. It really makes no sense when you think about it. I send my daughter off to the movies with a "Be careful". Her older sister goes off with her boyfriend and I tell him, "Drive carefully". My husband has a late night gig and I say, "Stay awake on the ride home".   What? I think they won't be careful unless I tell them?  If I don't remind them, they'll forget.

I know I am not the only one to do this. "Have a great day", "Enjoy the party"..

Gee, I hope I don't wonder about brain-numbing stuff like this the entire year.  It's only January 1 - this does not bode well.