Green · Martha

It looks like I'm finally able again to do some late night sewing, yay ! It feels good.
I am slowly redoing my fantasy/winter-woodland-stroll garb. The cape has been redone since December (I still need to take pictures of it), now it's onto my franken-surcot. It was too tight across the butt, and the cotton bias binding was hideous. Oh, and it hanged asymmetrically, too. All seams have been cut of, and I'm zigzagging it back into shape. The stitches almost disappear in the thick wool felt, and a little bit of steaming makes the added bulk at the seam lines almost unnoticeable.
I'm just waiting for the (still unfinished) curtains to get out of the dryer so that I can iron them into submission. I'm pretty sure I won't get them all done tonight, but it's no big deal. The room is tidy and feels good for me to work in. And the extra rolling dessert tray has reached its final destination so I have cutting room on the floor again !

About the icon, after being insulted four or five times over the past three days in lieu of a reasonable discussion, this is the only appropriate answer I have. *shrugs*

First, having BOTH candidates for the second row of presidential elections try to appeal to the xenophobic, reactionary far right by saying "oh yes, actually we think along the same lines" is more than a little disturbing. What the frack ? I know the Leader Minimo and his pals totally ARE on the same page as the far right on a lot of topics*, but I thought better of the socialists. Or at least, of some of them.

*Just for the record, he's been re-actualizing things we haven't heard for the last 70 years and making constant references to our dear old Pétain - since years, but in full force since Sunday. Classy.

Then, I've been barfed onto three times today, I had to keep the kids quiet for two hours because we had an appointment with an ophthalmologist and the only time we could get one was during nap time, so we survived without nap in a very not kid-friendly zone. Add one hour in the car (where only the younger one slept, for, like, fifteen minutes). I'm one tired maman. But I won't let that put me down, because I have awesome friends, because the kids didn't explode in flight despite the lack of nap, and because I was really good today and finally took pictures of the maternity corset ! Which implies I almost have a working photography setting !!!!
I have the pictures, they're on my site, but have yet to be made accessible, and that involves working with galleries and editing, and I've already made one dumb mistake tonight, so I figure it's a Bad Idea(tm) to try that now. You'll have to wait a little longer !
This is something else entirely - wedding dress sample ! I've found a way to make it work, it's going to be awesome ! I have other lengths of sparkly embroidered net in different colors and patterns, I'm not sure I'll have the willpower to avoid turning one into an early teens evening gown.

I just tucked the youngest into bed for (hopefully) a short morning nap, the oldest is in Paris with the InLaws, so I have a little time to work. The backlog is... aaargh !
I'm putting the justaucrps up on Nick, hoping to be ale to get some pictures later today. I'm only seeing the things I've done wrong. Ack ! Tailoring mistakes, bad ironing... It's not bad, it's just... I could do sooooo much better if I restarted it now ! Especially when I compare it to the skirt I just finished, where I really took the time to prep and think before I cut and work with the fabric. (not that the skirt is perfect either, but it's reasonably good) It drives me nuts. I want to take the thing apart and just redo it. except I neither have time nor fabric for that.
Learning curve, heh ?

I haven't forgotten about sewing, I just spent a lot of time sewing this mostly by hand. I think there are two machine seams in the whole garment. There are a few things I wish I'd have done better but I'm generally pretty pleased. Oh, and it hangs all wonky on the dummy because the client is a totally different shape.
Now I'm thinking about really diving into the 1890s madness, but of course, I can't find my twill. I'm sure I still have some white twill, it just... disappeared. But in the progress of turning up my entire stash I found various linens that I thought I had used up - and subsequently bought some new fabric to replace. I'm sure the old twill will show up the minute I buy some new one !
It's not like I have a lot of time to sew anyway - starting tomorrow, we start tearing down the old upstairs bathroom. The pink wallpaper's days are counted ! YAY !

You know those little electronic games shaped like little computers for kids ? Heimlich has been gifted one of those by Lord Darkstone. It has the shape of an R2D2 and has C3PO asking the kid to help him find letters. With bad midi music. *snorts* Totally adorable to see the kid play with his own "o'dinateu'", all serious,having seated himself next to his father (who's coding on his laptop).
It's one of those "I'm doing a little bit of everything" days. Finished uploading my prints to the site. Toyed with my FB page. Sewed some on my commission. Started another lino block (that's not real lino but this eraser-like thing, much gentler on my joints). Inked small parts on the new Pharos design. Now thinking about slipping into bed with a book. Focusing ? What's that ? It's hard to focus anyway while only working in small spurts. Which is probably the reason why I'm so stalled on my writing when it's the one thing I really need to push on right now. Oh yes, and there was some bathroom remodel planning as well.
I finished the day rewatching some BSG with the Home Geek and knitting some. I'm on the first sleeve on my cardi that was supposed to be a pregnancy cardi for Toad. Well, at least I spared some wool as I didn't need to make the body so wide !
I'm trying to post alittle more regularly, regardless of whether or not I have some good pictures. It's a good motivation to not just veg out on the Interweb...

Yesterday I got a call from a very talented lady (you know who you are) asking for fabric advice for a stop-motion puppet. And this is half a million levels of cool, at least.
Today, another very talented lady tempted me with a perfect outfit for Vizille, but I will be strong and tell her to make it instead. I know, I'm evil... Mwahahah !

I'm still taking my time with sewing, working slowly, I have a lot of graphic projects simultaneously in the works.( Here be pictures and babbling, but not of any textile nature, skip if you're not interested )

... I think it's what being productive feels like. I did take a real week-end break from sewing - helped by the fact that I was in too much pain yesterday to do anything besides lying in bed and reading The Hobbit for most of the day yesterday. Sometimes I wish I could be rid of the damn monhtly dose of feminity for good. I have my kids, I don't intend to ever get pregnant again, I don't need my reproductive cycle anymore, thankyouverymuch... But at least I've read some.
But I did cook quite a bit on Saturday, and blogged about it. I'm having waaay too much fun with this cooking blog. I came home from my vacation all motivated to cook some yummy stuff ad it keeps me going. So : yay !
Today I was a good girl and went back to work on the skirt. All seams are neatly finished, I'm working towards a waistband now. Well,after lunch, because for now I have one big cuddly boy sitting on my lap and trying to decipher the letters I'm typing. It feels amazing to be moving forward !

I have issues seeing what I type, but the feeling of being outside, hearing the birds chirp, having the little one playing around, the cats exploring... is totally worth it.
I haven't forgotten about the cooking blog, I just wanted to have it not look like complete crap before poting the link ;) Here it is : La Cuisine de Green Martha. I'm posting mostly simple, everyday stuff, and trying to make it accessible to everyone.
Okay, I'm programming one more post and going back to sewing. Naughty girl following too many different projects at the same time...

I should be about to jump into my car and go to the nude drawing class. Except... no. It's a mixture of being tired, not having slept well (thanks little Toad...), creative burnout on one side and too many project sinthe works in the other. Ont he whole, I feel like I might have bitten off more than I can chew this year with two courses at the art school. It takes away from the time I can focus on more directly work-oriented thing,s like creating product samples for my site. I'm probably going to keep coming now and then, but for today, I'm staying home and painting. with a little trip to a bio farmer's market when I'm finished with the white paint.
Yesterday's printmaking session was a disaster, very frustrating. The teacher is not really available and the group isn't working so great together - this is a brief sum up for a huge rant. I need to reconsider how I'll work on that next year. I might end up signing up for a course but only using the workshop outside the course hours.
I'm compensating by doing some graphic stuff, painting cubes for Heimlich. I don't think I'll finish something today but I'll have a good chunk done, that's already something.