I Love Collaboration!

This project started with a call from Mary Lou Nye concerning a necklace to be made by Judith Wright, a fellow member of the Cape Ann Artisans. It was to be a gift from her book group for Elizabeth who had just graduated form Acupuncture school. My part was to make a charm of a book that would hang from the back. Mary Lou explained the reason behind the idea. Having used Kanji symbols in the past I suggested the symbol for healing on the cover. Judy just sent me the image this morning of the finished piece.
A collaboration feels like passing the football to the quarterback. You have to have faith the the player makes it to the goal post and you all get to share in the victory.
Blog On!
Leslie

My Mother, The Car*

Please believe me when I tell you the following account is completely true.
I have been driving my mother's Toyota Camry since her death in 2001. Not too long after that I was offered a part in a Community Theater production of Nunsense 2. Since my New Year's resolution was to say "yes" to all good things offered me I accepted the part even though
I knew it would be "another growth experience". Two months and a few performances go by. Nan Webber, the director of Theater in the Pines, has cut out the roller skating portion of my part upon seeing me at dress rehearsal wearing a habit and clinging to every piece of scenery I could reach. The first night I did have that dreaded freeze moment where you can't remember your lines and it feels like an hour has passed but it is really only a few moments. Take away the fear of killing myself. Take away my fear of not being able to recover from a mistake onstage.
Now I am loving this! And I am amazed at that.
Heading out to one of the last performances, I decide to try a self help technique I had recently read in a book entitled something like "What To Say when You Talk To Yourself". The book maintains that speaking out loud processes thoughts differently than just running them in your head. In my amazement of how much I am loving this I also realize how much I have missed by letting fear and insecurity rein me in. So from my house to the theater I let it rip in the car to my Mother how angry I am at her critical and destructive style of parenting. I mean, I really let it out! At the parking lot I turn off the car and remove the keys. The car responds with lights flashing, horn blaring and locks flipping from "open" to "lock" furiously. Nothing short of starting the car again stops the cacophony. Turning off the engine results in the same response. Sitting in the car with the engine running I think through my options. I have to be inside the theater pronto. And then I realize what is behind this: my tirade. Out loud I say, "Alright, I'm sorry">
I take out the keys. In silence I walk to the building . It never happened again.
Yesterday I am heading home from errands and notice the odometer as I pull into my driveway. Seeing that literal milestone got me thinking back and realizing how far I had come in many senses of those words.
Blog On!
Leslie
* Please visit My Mother The Car to read about this weird one season TV wonder. It was like Mr Ed with a car instead of a horse.

The Lobster Pot Christmas Tree

I live on Cape Ann, so it makes sense that the city of Gloucester boasts a Christmas Tree built from layer after layer of lobster traps. This past Saturday was the Middle Street Walk which ended with the lighting of this tree. There were the usual political speeches and Three Sheets to the Wind sang a few songs before the lights.
As you can see from this photo below, the lobster pots are stacked like pieces of cake with lobster boys hanging in between the traps. Each buoy was hand painted by the kids at Art Haven .
There will be an auction at a later date featuring these one of a kind buoys to help support Art Haven.
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Leslie

My Top Three Favorite Christmas Events

Of all the events Three Sheets to the Wind does, the Christmas Open House at Lowell's Boat Shop is one of my top three favorites. It's not just that it is an historic site (1793) or that they serve the best corn chowdah I have ever had or that this working boat shop becomes Santa's work shop for the weekend. There we are singing among dories in progress.
Rumor has it that the group has been invited to sing for the spring opening.
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Leslie

BASD Shawl Pin Workshop

Here is a collection of shawl pins by the Boston Area Spinners and Dyers . Yesterday afternoon's workshop was held at Carol McClennan's house which was the type of home that made me feel instantly comfortable. It also fueled today's desire to clean my own.
I have two favorite parts to teaching. The first is the look on a student's face when she completes a project that expands her self definition. The second part is when they take out shawl and sweaters that they have made to test the new creations. Many times the student who complains about not getting something perfect the first time pulls out a garment they made that stops me in amazement. There is nothing I can say to ease their concern for not getting their pin perfect right away. So I use the momentum to (re)give the talk to myself. Knowing the price of perfectionism doesn't always mark the bill "paid in full".
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Leslie

Fancie Purls and Pine Hills.

RoseAnn and I have been teaching in Plymouth this past week. We did two evening events at Fancie Purls and one afternoon at Pine Hills. Anne at Fancie Purls went beyond the call with wonderful goodies. And when did she find the time to make those cookies! It was hard to concentrate with all that beautiful yarn around.
Taken at Pine Hills, this photo
shows RoseAnn's newest variations on the heirloom rugs: wool ornaments that are shirred, beaded and stitched.
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Leslie

Fiber Twist Tote = Instant Organization

OK, not instant organization but certainly better than pre-tote and damn quick too. It has become my favorite "go to show" bag. The pockets not only hold but also organize the myriad of things one needs to be prepared when away. It is especially nice that there is ample room for Gabriele's soon to be finished shawl despite my obsessive need to pack for any contingency. One great thing about being older is all the room that is freed up by not having to bring tampons and Midol.
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Leslie