Wild forest acorn in manufactured mug
Useful/beautiful
Beautiful/useful
Wabisabi
The patina of a used object
movie
I am really in love with this poster for the hunger games. Very cool.
tim’s vermeer
Hubby and I recently watched this documentary, and I found it so inspiring that I keep telling all my loved ones about it! But first, watch the preview.
After we watched it, I seriously am planning to do some paintings using his technique! I think it would be so exciting to do some black/white paintings of photos I took in Italy, or to copy paintings I love and have paintings on my wall that have actual brush-strokes!
seattle international film festival: dior and i
“J’adore Dior! This elegant glimpse into artistic director Raf Simons’ entry into the House of Christian Dior, and into the creation of his first haute couture collection, sparkles as an homage to the iconic house.”
I don’t know why,
but I’ve never gotten really excited about the Seattle International Film Festival.
Why not?!
Going through their guide is like flipping through a catalog of wonderful treats.
It would seem there’s something for everyone, even a skeptic like me.
grand budapest hotel
New Wes Anderson movie coming soon! Similar to my willingness to watch period dramas just for the costumes, I will watch any Wes Anderson movie just for the visuals. Is it wrong to wish life could look like a Wes Anderson movie, that all my suitcases would be Louis Vuitton and all interiors would be decorated in vivid primary colors?
Those wishes rank right up there with my other wish for the ability to walk in slow motion, and my completely narcissistic desire to have a soundtrack play loudly whenever I’m out walking.
shouldn’t i make this?
Somewhat belatedly (this movie came out when, last Christmas?), I’m writing about a gorgeous yellow pencil skirt worn by Eve Moneypenny in the latest Bond movie. Isn’t she gorgeous?! That goldenrod! That pencil silhouette! It’s so ladylike and prim, yet flattering and sexy too. Autumn is coming. It’s time to buy some wool!
Speaking of which, now that I live on the west side, I’ll be shopping at new fabric stores. There’s still a Pacific Fabrics, just blocks from my work, and the ladies at my old Bellevue haunt told me the Northgate branch has a larger fashion selection. Squee! Then there’s Stitches on Capitol Hill, and Nancy’s Sewing Basket on Queen Anne. All three stores will be getting to know me soon, and all three offer a great selection on fashion fabrics (whereas my old east side stores were more quilter friendly).
Oh, and I forgot to mention, I live two blocks from the Art Institute of Seattle, which offers a two-year Fashion Design program. Can I tell you how exciting that is?! I’ll be signing up for that as soon as I save up some cash mizzoney in my Education fund, which was depleted when I completed my Professional Certification!
robert downey hotpants
Biked back to the ol’ Pac Fab yesterday to pick up more white pompom trim, so I can turn this cowl into a wrap. I’ll post the results next time I get an hour to sew!
Also, I also purchased a length of white 6″ fringe to put on the bottom of the linen I’m going to turn into a wrap. I got the fringe because I was feeling inspired by the gorgeous Great Gatsby–not an especially great movie, but every frame was visually stunning! Yes, friends, I will see a movie just to ogle the costumes. Which rounds out the short list of movies I am always willing to see: Movies with…
1. Period costumes
2. Dancing
3. Joseph Gordon Levitt
4. Robert Downey Jr. (Admitting that makes me feel a little gross, since I seem to remember my mom having a crush on him when I was pretty young. Moms and daughters shouldn’t have crushes on the same person, but there it is. Clearly, he’s too old. Except the man doesn’t age! And when he does, he only gets better.)
better late than never
Hubby and I watched a very good movie tonight. I don’t normally post about movies here, but I’m filing this one under “Other People Who Make Things,” in this case, people who make music.
The film was called A Late Quartet. It follows a quartet of musicians living in New York City, who’ve been performing together for 25 years. Christopher Walken, the oldest member of the group, realizes he is getting Parkinson’s Disease, and that he will no longer be able to play. At first, all the musicians think they can carry on with a talented replacement, but it soon becomes painfully clear to each of them that their old group dynamic, which has worked for so long, is unraveling. Philip Seymour Hoffman is the first to recognize the upheaval as a chance to explore new directions; he announces that he no longer wishes to play second violin, that he ought to be allowed sometimes to play first chair. The lead violinist, Mark Ivanir, afraid of taking new risks and possibly failing, refuses to loosen his grip on the way things have always been. The group’s violist, Catherine Keener, who is Hoffman’s wife and Walken’s adopted daughter, struggles to keep her patchwork family together by pushing important discussions aside.
As the group struggles to confront change, they turn on each other, or themselves. And yet, they all remain likeable characters. Walken, especially, plays a new role here, the role of an aging man being forced to let go of his career and possibly everyone he loves. Hoffman, too, whose characters are often angry or cynical, here is the one who, even by making the biggest mistakes, ends up being the most right.
In one scene, Hoffman tells his daughter that Schubert, as he was dying, requested to hear Beethoven’s Opus 131 String Quartet, and that it was the last music he ever heard. Hoffman goes on to explain that, every time he plays the piece, .
Which brings me to my own job–or career. It ought to be more than a job, or maybe even more than a career. I think for some time now, I have lost sight of what was really important–which is, always, those darn kids. I forgot that’s not just the best reason to do what I’m doing–it’s the only reason. This job isn’t an obligation, it’s a privilege. What a privilege to do something that makes me feel important, necessary! Just as Hoffman re-summons the passion necessary to perform the same piece time and time again, as if someone’s final moments of happiness depended on it, I need to summon that passion every morning when I head to the building where I spend the majority of my waking hours–and summon it not for me, or my boss, or even the parents, but for those small, ridiculous, funny, maddening, fascinating people who are going to meet me there each morning and ask me, “What are we doing today?” I need to be ready with a good answer.
Think about your own job. Who is your Schubert? Who are the people who matter the most, who receive something from you that they can’t get from anybody else? Whose lives do you brighten by doing the work that you do, and doing it well, and doing it with a giving heart?
calico for pajamas
pale gray thai silk for pencil skirt
lavender thai silk for pencil skirt
champagne thai silk for pencil skirt
THE QUARTER-INCH PRESS: FABRIC FROM SHANGHAI
Oh my gosh, Shanghai is a stitcher’s MECCA! I had no idea. My guide books listed one or two fabric markets, but yesterday we went to one that wasn’t in our book, the Shanghai South Bund Soft-Spun Material Fabric Market. THREE FLOORS of fabric and tailors! And every single tiny booth packed with handmade shirts, dresses, and coats.
You walk into the fabric market and you are instantly bombarded by people at every booth surrounding you and saying, “You like to buy? Just take a look! Come in, have a look!” Eventually, we figured out if we avoided eye contact that would help a little, but one woman actually followed me all the way down a corridor, placing the goods on me; when I tried to hand them back to her, she wouldn’t take them. After a little while, we just got used to this.
On the second floor, people were less pushy, and on the third floor even less so. This gave me some time to slow down and look at what each seller had to offer. When I saw something I liked, I asked for their business card. Then after we had seen all the options, we went back to the sellers we were interested in.
My hubby got 5 business shirts, custom-made and fitted, for about $20 per shirt. This was without trying to bargain down the prices. We knew before-hand that the sellers mark up their prices by sometimes as much as 50%, but I just can’t bargain down a price when it’s already astronomically cheaper than what I can get at home. It feels stingy. So we just bargained down to the nearest 0. They punch in a number on their calculator. Then we say, “125 yuan? How about 120?” Then they smile at us like we’re a couple of idiots and say yes.
My husband was able to pick which kind of collar he wanted on each shirt (from a choice of about 8), and which kind of cuff (one button? two? rounded corners or clipped?). We also made a special request: on the airplane ride, we had watched that Justin Timberlake movie In Time (or “Justin Time” as I like to call it), and Justin was looking very snappy in a crisp white shirt, top two buttons undone, with black fabric going down the button placket (see picture of J-Tim’s fabulous chest shirt below):
Having just noted it on the airplane ride, hubby and I requested this on one of his new shirts. The tailor takes a week to make it. We are so excited to pick up our goodies!
In addition, he’s always wanted some summer pants made of linen (think James Bond, although I’m not necessarily intimating that my husband looks anything like James Bond). I have too, so we both ordered some. He ordered suit style, I ordered jeans style, with a little bit of boot-cut. Since we didn’t get to try these things on first, I’m not sure how they’ll look. I hope they’ll turn out nicely!
On top of that, I purchased a shirt-dress in a very springy green Japanese-looking calico (or Liberty of London?). It has a rounded Peter Pan-type collar.
And I also ordered one button-down business shirt with a frill along both plackets that extends to the collar (I picked a generous collar with long pointed tips), and frills along the cuffs, in a beautiful teal cotton. Just under the bust is a horizontal band of the same fabric, to give some shape. The shirt is darted for a nice fit.
I also ordered a custom-fitted A-line cashmere coat in teal, with a high collar, for $100.
And last but not least, I got the three Thai silks pictured, and the calico. I will use the Thai silks for fancy pencil skirts I’m going to sew, and the calico for a set of breezy summer pajamas. I will of course post my progress on these projects.
When all was said and done, we spent a lot of money on our first day in Shanghai. However, I feel great about our purchases. Custom-made, fitted, and made by local stitchers, not in a factory. Every time I wear them, I’ll think of our trip, so they make much better souvenirs than tchotchkes. And I don’t care about bargaining down—these were already a great bargain. Oh, and I get to pick up my coat this Wednesday, so I can actually wear it in Shanghai.
Oh, and as we continued sight-seeing, we randomly chose a street to walk down, and discovered the entire street was full of shops that sell just ribbons, lace, elastic bands (including knock-off elastic waistbands that say Calvin Klein, in case you want to make knock-off boxers), and fasteners. More buttons, brackets, and buckles than I’ve ever seen in my life! The selection here is unbelievable. JoAnn’s has nothing on Shanghai. Why aren’t you here already?
CUP AND PENNY 