so, what-all’s been going on during this blog hiatus, you might wonder? mostly work, but i found i needed some new creative outlets that had nothing to do with design. that’s where ukelele came in. awhile back, jason bought me one because i wanted a simple melody instrument to noodle around on, but i couldn’t seem to take the initiative to learn it on my own. thanks to barnsdall art center’s offering of ukelele class, i got started in the fall and really love it!

i also decided to return to sewing, which i only learned on my own with some help from my mom as a young woman. this time around, i went to a professional, taking classes and working on personal projects, and have been learning all kinds of techniques. the process of spending time on quality garments is very satisfying, in addition to getting a gift at the end. it’s opening up an area of design i haven’t experienced in a long time: personal fashion design—which is nothing like commercial fashion, because i don’t have to please anyone but myself. the other reality is, i’ve had to get really honest about measurements. ever by something on the smaller side, figuring you’re investing in the near future when you magically lose 10 pounds? umm, i have. you can’t really do that with sewing. you measure, you create garments that fit, and you let go of the future. alter when the time comes, in the meantime, live for today.

the cool thing about these 2 creative forays is that they are long-range. i’m only playing chords with occasional picked vamps in ukelele, but there’s so much to learn, and it’s got me thinking about banjo too. i’ve gotten to beginning pattern-making with sewing, which will open up all kinds of custom options, and then there are all the scraps, which seem to be screaming out QUILT US! so, maybe they’ll get their wish.

anyway, there you have it. and back to work i go, with a little more music and fabric patterns in my stride.