Jumble Fever

It's been a truly packed couple of weeks.. worthy of multiple posts.. I came across several bargains, worked my arse off and as if this wasn't good enough.. I was given handmade and second hand belated birthday presents which made my week(s).

A lovely roomy navy blue faux ostrich skin bag with a fully functional clasp and a very forgiving matching velvet blazer.

Canvas heeled pumps and brown leather brogues to tap in (or for work).

as well as an assortment of scarves and ties, doilies and saucers.

This, on the other hand, is a wisely picked assortment of goods .. wisely in light of my current 'moving out' state and being in need of useful yet pretty items for the home.

Thanks Carla Rita Cholita and Rachel from the Bronx.. will fill teh glass container with fizzy cola/cherry sweets and invite you over for much fun!

A vintage pattern book collection brought together within one uniquely screen printed cover.. swell! made by the almighty Alex from www.myspace.com/skimmedtheband

And a 'tattoed' embroidered circuis aide and ballet dancer dolly I named Loretta. Made by Mlle. Micallef of http://esorterceseht.blogspot.com/fame.

It's such fun.. having friends like these!

My hundred-year-old friend

This is my hundred-year-old friend. I found her on a Sunday at a favourite car-boot sale. She came with a story and a dubious pricetag.. but I love her to bits (forgive the particularly bad and unintended pun) .. Apparently hardened papier-mache and straw appendaged dolls like this one here were produced in a factory in Malta a while back but the factory closed down.. and as it usually and unfortunately happens.. once a plastic substitute appears the artisanal option gradually dies out; ... and the only crafts village on the island turns into a ghost town.. but this is a topic to dwell on some othertime when the cat isn't warming my belly and (in turn) pushing my laptop off my knees.

I came to blog with a half hearted intent to lay out an argument about 'acquisitions', not knowing where I stand vis a vis the same topic. But who am I to set a standard.. plus.. I had promised myself (at some point.. I must have for sure) never to argue with myself expecting a reply.. especially via the web.. blogging is sad in this way, sometimes.

Instead..

I turned 23 this week.. I acquired things for myself.. I don't know why I did it .. I guess you could say 'they looked nice'.. small things I don't really need.. but the more I look at and touch these items which I pick up and carry off unquestioningly, the more I understand the 'why(s)' behind it all. During the course of my aesthetic education, the life-long, un-organized kind; I was always far removed from the objects I loved.. objects of such value that I would be lucky if only I ever got to catch a glimpse of them from behind glass cases.. and in a bid to satiate this curiosity I set out to find alternatives at only the fraction of the price. I only got to love kitsch because I had no other option but to..

Here's 16 euro worth of religious pendants I bought for a commission that may or may not happen.. It is the kind of risky acquisition I am willing to make. It is, in itself, quite a special outcome to end up with a paperbag-full of these.. it is special because realistically very few people appreciate such a disappointment.

A silk shirt I bought from a vintage store.. bought only because I liked it and knew exactly what had to be done to the sleeves to make it perfect.. bought because in a fit of self indulgence I erroneously thought no ne else could carry it off as well.. bought because my parents still insist on not getting me something they pick up themselves for what is supposedly a very special day in my year. After years upon years of watching your daughter bring in boxes upon boxes of junk from the street, would one still assume she wouldn't like anything one chose?
In any case the shirt is a wonderful apple green and will keep my shoulders cool in summer.

And a bracelet to accompany it.

What is wonderful however, is what your friends deem worthy of purchase in your honour.. it's a wonderful thing to think about.. people get to know each other in particular detail.. they often start falling in love with the same things. The little effort one puts into giving away something they loved in the first place is often an underrated gesture. Being one who loves almost everything save for cheese and pink ski-pants, I'm often the glad reciever of really diverse and lovely stuff. This year I even got handpicked dried porcini muchrooms in the post. Above are two postcards and below is a cute woolly creature I refuse to give to the cat to have its way with it.

An old cameo that came with a precious lot of hand made lace and crocheted items for the home.. a kind of 'dota' I acquired in honour of my moving out.. and my working really hard lately. I invent all kinds of excuses to justify what's already a bargain and most importantly.. what's ultimately an eye's soul soother.

A black and white beaded collar. It's so cool it sends shivers down your spine.

Enough doilies to cover a wall and a black embroidered tulle affair for which I've already made handsome plans.

And a hand and machine embroidered bird piece to turn into one super special cushion; as well as a particularly useless yet beautifully embroidered nightdress pocket. It is nice to know that someone somewhere had/still has the time to put on a nightdress and not only take it off in the morning, but also fold it and have their initial embroidered onto it's pocket. I bet they even have time to make their bed.

Japanes usually = better

Let's start off from a lovely corner. Unearthed from a much loved folder here's a picture simply named 'corner'new'orleans'. I will not dwell on its provenance, there's nothing particularly special about happening upon a photo article and 'stealing' all the pictures for future salivating reference one sad lonely night in bed. All I'll say is that it's a lovely decadent corner I'd easily trade four corners of a room in my house for. Just imagine me sitting with legs dangling over the egde of this unearthed corner in space. Ok, maybe I should have taken some breakfast before daring to write this post.

Here's a brooch I just finished for a friend. My aunt generously donated a bagful of 80s and 90s earrings and in a bid to satiate my greed I set my dirty paws (I use glue and paint you see) on them to come up with something as a belated birthday present. I don't usually do belateds.. I'm the kind who's always on time with 'things'.. but luckily for myself and those close by I'm relaxing substantially and therefore, for example, I've stopped chiding people for being too late for appointments (sometimes!). Back to the brooch.. a piece with an art-deco twist on Gaddaffi's uniform adornments which have been regaling our screens of late. I loved it and wanted to keep it as much as I wanted to give it away.. and that's a sure sign that I'm happy with the result!

Carla reference number one: thank you for forwarding that lovely article from Vanity Fair about the new fuhrer's wardrobe!

And now to the intended fulcrum of the post.. and to Carla reference number 2: old japanese posters from a link that the aforementioned kindly forwarded to me yesterday evening in between bouts of assignmenting on her part. Why are the japanese so good at everything they do? These posters and many more are currently featuring, on rotation, on my desktop and I think they're impeccably designed. The one below is from 1928 for the Kyoto Grand Exposition to Commemorate the Showa Imperial Coronation and the one above is a sheet music cover for 'Rejin' from 1930. I'm currently waiting for a pair of embroidered pillowcases I had asked a very capable Sarah to design in the Japanese style for me; complete with curly text and other lovely bits. I'll upload a picture (as I'm sure she will as well) the minute they're ready. I know you girls are busy with university stuff so hip hip hooray for Sarah and Carla. You'll come out victorious at the end..

And just because even mantels have aspirations.. this picture is my mantelpiece's aspirational picture. we are slowly getting there but we must make sure no one dares leave unopened bills or stray stationery lying about. Balance is key and a couple more visits to the flea market wouldn't hurt anyone, I'm sure. Save for my pocket, as I do not know how to haggle and will never learn!

(*aaaaa) background is back!

Thank you Alex for the technical help and here's a poem I read yesterday.. a fitting piece by Baudelaire which, surprisingly enough, managed to escape me all this while.

(*by 'fitting' I mean particularly encapsulating of the current theme in my creative and imaginary/parallel life)

A Une Madone

Ex-voto dans le goût espagnol


Je veux bâtir pour toi, Madone, ma maîtresse,
Un autel souterrain au fond de ma détresse,
Et creuser dans le coin le plus noir de mon coeur,
Loin du désir mondain et du regard moqueur,
Une niche, d'azur et d'or tout émaillée,
Où tu te dresseras, Statue émerveillée.
Avec mes Vers polis, treillis d'un pur métal
Savamment constellé de rimes de cristal
Je ferai pour ta tête une énorme Couronne;
Et dans ma Jalousie, ô mortelle Madone
Je saurai te tailler un Manteau, de façon
Barbare, roide et lourd, et doublé de soupçon,
Qui, comme une guérite, enfermera tes charmes,
Non de Perles brodé, mais de toutes mes Larmes!
Ta Robe, ce sera mon Désir, frémissant,
Onduleux, mon Désir qui monte et qui descend,
Aux pointes se balance, aux vallons se repose,
Et revêt d'un baiser tout ton corps blanc et rose.
Je te ferai de mon Respect de beaux Souliers
De satin, par tes pieds divins humiliés,
Qui, les emprisonnant dans une molle étreinte
Comme un moule fidèle en garderont l'empreinte.
Si je ne puis, malgré tout mon art diligent
Pour Marchepied tailler une Lune d'argent
Je mettrai le Serpent qui me mord les entrailles
Sous tes talons, afin que tu foules et railles
Reine victorieuse et féconde en rachats
Ce monstre tout gonflé de haine et de crachats.
Tu verras mes Pensers, rangés comme les Cierges
Devant l'autel fleuri de la Reine des Vierges
Etoilant de reflets le plafond peint en bleu,
Te regarder toujours avec des yeux de feu;
Et comme tout en moi te chérit et t'admire,
Tout se fera Benjoin, Encens, Oliban, Myrrhe,
Et sans cesse vers toi, sommet blanc et neigeux,
En Vapeurs montera mon Esprit orageux.

Enfin, pour compléter ton rôle de Marie,
Et pour mêler l'amour avec la barbarie,
Volupté noire! des sept Péchés capitaux,
Bourreau plein de remords, je ferai sept Couteaux
Bien affilés, et comme un jongleur insensible,
Prenant le plus profond de ton amour pour cible,
Je les planterai tous dans ton Coeur pantelant,
Dans ton Coeur sanglotant, dans ton Coeur ruisselant!

****

To a Madonna

Votive Offering in the Spanish Style

I want to build for you, Madonna, my mistress,
An underground altar in the depths of my grief
And carve out in the darkest corner of my heart,
Far from worldly desires and mocking looks,
A niche, all enameled with azure and with gold,
Where you shall stand, amazed Statue;
With my polished Verses as a trellis of pure metal
Studded cunningly with rhymes of crystal,
I shall make for your head an immense Crown,
And from my Jealousy, O mortal Madonna,
I shall know how to cut a cloak in a fashion,
Barbaric, heavy, and stiff, lined with suspicion,
Which, like a sentry-box, will enclose your charms;
Embroidered not with Pearls, but with all of my Tears!
Your Gown will be my Desire, quivering,
Undulant, my Desire which rises and which falls,
Balances on the crests, reposes in the troughs,
And clothes with a kiss your white and rose body.
Of my Self-respect I shall make you Slippers
Of satin which, humbled by your divine feet,
Will imprison them in a gentle embrace,
And assume their form like a faithful mold;


If I can't, in spite of all my painstaking art,
Carve a Moon of silver for your Pedestal,
I shall put the Serpent which is eating my heart
Under your heels, so that you may trample and mock,
Triumphant queen, fecund in redemptions,
That monster all swollen with hatred and spittle.
You will see my Thoughts like Candles in rows
Before the flower-decked altar of the Queen of Virgins,
Starring with their reflections the azure ceiling,
And watching you always with eyes of fire.
And since my whole being admires and loves you,
All will become Storax, Benzoin, Frankincense, Myrrh,
And ceaselessly toward you, white, snowy pinnacle,
My turbulent spirit will rise like a vapor.

Finally, to complete your role of Mary,
And to mix love with inhumanity,
Infamous pleasure! of the seven deadly sins,
I, torturer full of remorse, shall make seven
Well sharpened Daggers and, like a callous juggler,
Taking your deepest love for a target,
I shall plant them all in your panting Heart,
In your sobbing Heart, in your bleeding Heart!

Fruitful follows Colourful

Yes.. a fruitful Monday follows a Colourful weekend.

I shall limit my 'bla' to make space for more pictures.

Above & in clockwise order: A handmade carpet from morocco and my comfy bright red moroccan slippers, a blue 'lunch-box' bag I found at the flea market yesterday and a lovely shell!

Today's job interview made me re-consider abandoned projects. I do not want to keep running out of time. Here's an antique lampshade I painted gold.. it needs work and so I'll be devoting myself to it completely as soon as the opportunity arises. We pray for 'soon' but realistically, we're speaking of months here!

And a pair of skinny green cords I just finished.. hot off the press and ready to go.

This is what Crayola and a (relatively speaking) deprived childhood did to me .. it gave me Crayola-eyes .. I begged for a Polly-Pocket but I only got colours.. and somehow I'm glad it turned out this way.

to ink, to sew or to just dive under the quilt(s)

When I was younger I was set on getting tattooed in all the prominent places but then, as it usually happens, you grow up and you thank the heavens you didn't 'do it' just then. If I had I'd be stuck with a huge back piece of dubious roots and significance.. a couple of fishbone armlets and something silly round my bellybutton. However, this doesn't mean I'm at all comfortable with the fact that I haven't got something done yet. In the past I blamed this lack on several things, but mainly my being a control freak around anything I deem myself capable of doing slightly better, given the time (yes, at one point I was convinced I'd wait till I learnt how to do it myself.. mistrustful bitch!) But really and truly.. the real issue all along must have been the pain and the pennies. To cut a long story short, now that I have a pay and painkillers to rely on I want to embark on my lifelong ink plan.. I want to ink my legs.

But where to start!!? I now spend my breaks from work sketching to-size ideas for my first two pieces, amusing teachers and students who happen to walk past the art-room.

But I hurry, and blab on.. It's been a while.. It's been a very long while.. and it's been stressful and demanding on my poor constitution.. (yes I romanticize my persistent cold and hay-fever for sheer aesthetic reasons) Since the festive season, the general tone of affairs has been very 'post-', a whole month flew by, February caught me unawares as I desperately tried to re-organize sewing projects and life in general. I keep forgetting that it's really and truly no use trying that hard. Then again.. dresses have to be sewn and real people with brimming diaries need to be appeased. And something somewhere in this process pleases me and I keep at it.

... And when I thought the transition period between one major concept and another couldn't be any longer and any more trying.. a brainwave hits me as I head home on the bus, and suddenly this best-feeling-in-the-world feeling translates into several ideas and I get off the bus a happy girl. I know what my next mini collection will look like.. I've visualised most of it in one of those beautiful split-seconds that used to happen to me regularly before I hampered myself with day-to-day obligations. But I am grateful for each time. I am excited for what is to come.. I realize that the sewing of much needed curtains might have to be postponed yet again since moulds have to be made and slip has to be poured and much ribbon cut and placed and twisted and...

Aaa. pictures of some stuff I've finished..

an upgraded 'discarded' cardi for myself cos one just cannot safeguard their credibility unless they wear their own stuff (actually.. it's safe to say it was a case of 'just about time I did something fo myself for once')


A cosy knit skirt with yoke and piping detail.. cosy rule(z)!

A leather skirt, my first project in the material and the label says the rest.

Another upgraded jumper because addiction to this 'quick-fix-project' thing is so hard to resist.

I thought I should leave you with a small, not too revealing ideas-plate for my upcoming project.. but I changed my mind. It's a tiny baby in its big cot.. give it cake.. let it grow.. all in due time. Hope I live through this cold to tell the tale!! (*insert a wholly unjustified 'bbbrrrrrrr' here)..

Instead I'll leave you with a picture I fell in love with. I lifted it out of a very interesting photo album someone I know keeps.. I didn't ask for permission and for this I am sorry.. but this bird here is special.. I want to be him when I grow up.

Note to self: do not abandon dreams of learning how to tattoo.

Roman Holiday

The festivities are over, we were busy at work as well as at being festive.. being sick throughout the holidays didn't dampen my spirits one bit (inflamed throat and complementary sinus blockage beat waking up at 6 anyday!) .. I finished projects.. tried to get my life and my sewing bench in order, baptized my 2011 appointment diary, a new heavy-duty pair of scissors and a furry grey jacket I had no choice but to 'live in' since it happens to be the only thing, other than the gas heater I never got round to buying, which keeps me warm.

With just one last free day ahead of me .. I sit in bed, salty biscuits in hand.. and wonder.. how on earth did I manage to postpone watching Roman Holiday for so long. I cannot but declare my love for Hepburn, a new crush on Peck, my plans for holidaying (at last!) in the very city and my obsession with full skirts and blouses. I want to pay my duties toward society in full (aka. roll over work days.. welcome july!!) so that I can at last lounge in the sun with the promise of a negroni and long strolls in the air.

But being the bad planner that I am, I've already reduced my list of essentials to this hat and pair of geometric leather shoes.. with the picture of Hepburn in my head and the holiday 'high' (and a couple of negronis) I believe I could walk down into Piazza di Spagna wearing just these.
I guess it's a matter of visual power.. I'm succeptible enough to the romanticism of the Hepburn silhouette .. she carries her royal flair from night to day.. from the clinched ball-gown waist to the still tailored holidaying cottons. I too now want to translate my visual travelling aspirations onto that silhouette... It's a matter of expecting a destination to deliver and indirectly (or perhaps, as in this case, blatantly) helping it out. I plan a travelling set of dresses inspired by my last and most satisfying trip to morocco and my long term travel plan to visit japan. Hard wearing, two-tone full skirts with a long row of covered buttons.

I guess I haven't travelled enough to take the little details for granted. I'm one of the least well-travelled persons I know. Not being jaded puts pressure on one to make the best of it, to savour moments but sometimes also traps one into expecting too much. I was a good level-headed planner once; used to list down essentials and match stuff. I still follow maps and enjoy little successes every time I actually find my destinations. But somewhere along the years I realised that with 2 year gaps (min.) between one trip and the next I wasn't going to waste time trying to anticipate possible needs for certain things whilst abroads. Nowadays I only waste my time dreaming about the skirt that is (in this case) the essence of Rome.. and I do not necessarily propose this to be a change for the better. I now abstract my travel-essentials list and while the best of after-work hours 'solving' related puzzles.


I'm thinking too deeply into this. Cutting out 7 sewing projects must have taken its toll on me and the salty biscuits have done nothing by way of filling that empty void I had assumed was my stomach. How do you fill a 'travel' void with a full 2 terms ahead of one?