Tag: houston

From Canvas to Couture

If you’re interested in seeing my Canvas to Couture series that’s hanging this month in the original Barnaby’s Cafe in Houston, I have photos on my art pages. You can view the works by clicking this link. This series would never have come to be without all the support and encouragement I’ve gotten since I started doing the Project Runway challenges in 2008. Though some people might think I’m only “playing with dolls,” I’m awed at everything good that’s come of this project. I’ve been contacted by people I’d otherwise never have known who are bright, creative, and who have their own artistic passions that are often misunderstood. I’ve been accepted into an amazing community of designers and doll fans on Flickr. I’ve conquered my fear of sewing machines and taught myself new skills. I’ve learned again that creating can and should be fun sometimes.

Specifically, I have to thank the people who boldly took that first “Runway Monday” adventure with me: Marika, who had the idea; Mark G. Harris and Timothy J. Lambert, who also participated and whose work compelled me to keep trying to be better; all the people who were judges, particularly permanent judges Greg Herren and Rhonda Rubin, who had some laughs but (maybe to their own surprise) began to understand that what we did was work that required a lot of time, thought, and energy; and Lynne, who was always available to answer my dumb sewing questions and who rewarded my perseverance with my wonderful sewing machine and lots of supplies and materials. There are several people who’ve donated fabrics, notions, and doll accessories to me to help with the creations. Finally, I thank all of you who take your time to look, still, at my attempts to do the weekly challenges, and who comment or email me.

A shout out to the Art Elves who did all the tough work the other night at Barnaby’s: Y’all are terrific.


Tim, very focused.


Lindsey, taking on the back wall.


Rhonda, adding final touches.


Tim and Tom survey their work.


Tom gets a shot that takes in all the paintings and Elves–and me, skulking in the corner.

Condolences

Last night, I was looking at Flickr photos from around the world expressing condolences to the people of Norway for their recent losses to domestic terrorism. I remember being so moved by those kinds of photos following September 11, and hoped that the people of Norway might receive the same comfort from knowing the world is with them.

Until I saw a photo shot at Houston’s Norwegian consulate, it hadn’t occurred to me to verify if we had one or where it is. Turns out it’s right here in our neighborhood, just blocks from The Compound. People have left flowers there over the last week–they are looking a little faded thanks to our drought–so I added fresh ones from The Compound family. If you’re in the ‘hood and want to leave something, you probably wouldn’t get in too much trouble if you parked for a few minutes at Allen House and crossed West Dallas. Otherwise, you’d need to park on side streets.


The Consulate’s web site has photos of notables visiting the consulate to sign the condolence book on this page, and there is also a link on that page if you wish to leave your condolences online.

I send my hope for healing to Norway.

Thank you, gray skies


Do you see this? Do you know what you’re seeing? Yes, it’s a daisy, but that’s not what I mean. It’s a daisy with RAIN on it. Real rain. From the sky. The sky that has been giving us gentle rains off and on for hours. After months of almost no rainfall–and when it did rain, it’d almost always be a short blast that went away quickly and turned the environment into a sauna–this persistent light rain is so welcome. Except to Rex and Margot.

Speaking of Margot… Writer ‘Nathan Burgoine is having a contest. If you photograph your animal with any book by an author with whom ‘Nathan appears in an anthology and give him the link to the photo on your blog, FB, Twitter, whatever, you’ll be eligible to win a FREE BOOK. He explains it all better than I do in the contest link I provided above. I’m disqualifying myself from winning Fool For Love (I seem to have several copies already), but as examples, I give you:

Margot hiding from the rain by staying in bed with Felice Picano’s wonderful Like People in History. Felice’s short story in Fool For Love is “Gratitude.”


Guinness is not hiding from the rain, she’s always this lazy, and who wouldn’t want to curl up with Paul Lisicky’s Lawnboy? Paul’s story in Fool For Love is “Two Tales.”

‘Nathan’s story in Fool For Love is “Heart.”