every year my mother and my mamaw would take me to the kentucky state fair. it was usually unbearably hot and exhausting. my mamaw would pour over every quilt and crochet project. her work would have won any ribbon, but she felt too intimidated to enter.
this year i took the plunge in her honor, and entered a hand crocheted cotton aran baby sweater, which received a blue ribbon. I also entered a handspun skein of yarn, which received a red ribbon.
mamaw can't go to the fair, anymore...but i took lots of pictures.
december 4, 2006
"instead of changing her clothes, she would just put a clean dress over her dirty one...jim matt said that when she died, she had on fourteen dresses."
in the 1930's, or 40's mamaw said that her father-in-law, jim matt, would sometimes help out with the dead. he would go help clean them up, and being a carpenter, would build the casket. when his neighbor, mrs. carr died, he got word and went over.
mrs. carr wouldn't ever change her clothes. she would just put a clean dress on over her dirty one. granted, mamaw said she kept her house really cold.
when my great-grandfather started dressing the body. he found that she had on not two, not three, not six, but fourteen, fourteen dresses.
she must have been really cold.
november 23, 2006
happy thanksgiving.
yesterday, my mamaw told me that when she was a little girl, her brothers and sisters had a holiday tradition where on christmas day, they would go out into a field and pick rabbit weed to smoke. they must have had to pick a bunch because she had eleven or twelve brothers and sisters. and, i think she means rabbit tobacco, otherwise known as sweet cudweed, everlasting, or gnaphalium obtusifolium. they would pick this rabbit weed, take a paper bag and rip it up to make rolling papers, roll the weed into cigarettes, and smoke 'em. my great grandparents wouldn't mind because it wasn't real tobacco.
turns out rabbit weed is good for respiratory problems such as colds, asthma, bronchitis; and also sore throats. not only can you smoke it, but it can be made into a tea.
here is a pic, go pick it, smoke up and happy holidays...
november 3, 2006
michael made me a commercial for my anniversary present.
september 20, 2006
my husband is the king of playing "name that tune".
it's true. i guess it's from all those years of working at ear x-tacy.
i can't tell you how many times i'll hear something on tv, and say to him, "hey, michael! do you know the name of this song? I love that song..." and he'll rattle off the name and the band, no matter how obscure.
a couple of months ago i heard something on "malcolm in the middle", but i only knew two measures worth. so i walked into the office, and said, "michael, what's this song? it goes, doo-doo-doo-doo, ohhh-ohhh-ohhh-ohhh". that's it. eight beats. and he said, "where'd you hear it?" and i said, "i saw it on "malcolm in the middle. the one where dewey was sellin' chocolate bars." and he said, "junior senior, 'shake your coconuts'." and he was right!
i love him, i love him, i love him...i bet he could name that tune in one note...
august 24, 2006
i have malaise...
i don't really, but one day each month i do. i made a doll to commemorate that one day when i curl up in bed and watch movies. she's cuddly soft. and a little morbid and creeptifyin'. she has malaise.
august 16 , 2006
my mamaw was at the beauty parlor the other day and her eye fell out.
now, my mamaw is one of those women who goes to the beauty parlor weekly to gossip and get their hair done. mamaw lives in a town that boasts a bank and a post office and a church and that's about it. and a train track. and louise's hair salon. it's in a trailor across from the bank. my mamaw has been going there once a week to get her hair done for the past twenty years, at least.
due to glaucoma, she had her eye taken out one day when she went to the eye doctor. so you can imagine the antics and shenanigans that went on when she reached up to scratch her eye, and it fell out and rolled across the floor.
march 13, 2006
so, get this ya'll. my mom just brought this plant back from florida. actually, she got three while she was down there. one
for me, one for my mamaw, and one for herself, which she promptly killed 'cause she has a brown thumb. it's a desert rose,
and it's related to a jade plant. when it blooms it has these pretty pink flowers.
my mom had never seen one before, even
though i noticed the other day that they have them at my local walmart, and she said, "i just love the trunks on these plants,
they're so unusual, don't you think? which one of them do you want, suzanne?"
i thought i was gonna die. i mean, look at it. it's so obscene!
now, don't be gettin' all excited and rush down to walmart, not every desert rose looks like this one. i just got lucky.
february 20, 2006
thanks to everyone who came out to our valentine's day show at
amazing grace!
it was so much fun. we had a great turnout, and nicki, paul, and the rest of the amazing grace staff was incredible.
i can't seem to get enough of their sushi.
my next show will be at the ballard high school spring arts and crafts show, march 18th. the mafia and i are going to
have a booth. come out and see us!
we also have a show coming up in April at Kente. I'll have more about that later...
i have finally found the perfect desktop! check it out!
out of brown sugar body scrub? need some coffee? you can now find steigerbeat products at the atomic saucer, 1000 e. oak st.!
go see erika, pam, and jackie, and tell 'em i said, "hey!"
january 25, 2006
Here is the press release for the Louisville Craft Mafia Valentine's Day Show!
"Louisville Craft Mafia Valentine's Day Show"
LOUISVILLE, KY - The Louisville Craft Mafia is hosting it's Valentine's Day Arts and Crafts Show, Saturday, February 11th, at Amazing Grace Wholefoods, from 10am - 9pm. This will be the debut show for their new members. On Saturday the 11th, Amazing Grace will be filled with original, handmade gift items for your special sweetie. The Mafia will be back with one-of-a-kind jewelry, handbags, dashboard shrines, all-natural body products, valentines, scarves and sweaters.
"All original, all handmade, and all perfect for your sweetie."
The Louisville Craft Mafia is a newly formed co-op of women-owned craft businesses. Suzanne Steiger of steigerbeat, Angela Cundiff of Amadai Designs, and artist Kristy Greenwell formed the LCM in the winter of 2005. Drawn together by their compulsion to make art from anything and everything, they decided to pool their resources, talents, and experience and form a craft co-op.
"We were inspired by the success and philosophy of the Austin Craft Mafia in Austin, Texas, and decided to form our own "familia" here in Louisville," says Angela.
The Mafia debuted in December at the Atomic Saucer with their "Bags, Baubles, and Boobs" show. And now, they have opened their membership. "We have recently embraced three new artists into the "familia", Keisha Jones of My Touch of Honey, Shelley Volpert, fiber artist, and Margaret Coble, printmaker. Margaret has relocated art by mags! to Louisville, from New Orleans. She is a member of the New Orleans Craft Mafia, but until things are rebuilt from the hurricane, she will be part of LCM, as well.
If you are interested in becoming a member, contact louisvillecraftmafia@louisvillecraftmafia.com, the Louisville Craft Mafia is accepting applications for membership until February 28th. If you are a woman and you either already own a craft business, or would like to start one, they are looking for you.
The Mafia will be at Amazing Grace Wholefoods, 1133 Bardstown Rd., from 10am - 9pm, 485-1122. Amazing Grace will be providing free refreshments all day, and culinary demonstrations from noon until 4:00pm.
For more information go to http://www.louisvillecraftmafia.com
january 6, 2006
happy new year! i had a great christmas with my family and my mamaw. she got another new watch for christmas. and a huge
tv. now, she can finally see the news, better than ever before in her whole life.
all kinds of news is happening over at the mafia.
we have a new member and our next arts and crafts show
is scheduled for saturday, february 11th, at
these are the new fisticuffs i made. sometimes my fingers get so cold in the winter, that i can't type anymore, so one weekend i
whipped these up. now i never take them off.
these are my friends elizabeth and brandon over at the LEO doing a great job modeling for me.
i love that spot on the sidewalk in the city. if you look over to the right, there is the ohio and kentucky marquis. And
the statues of those monopoly guys. and if you look over to the left, you see the palace, and 4th street live. all the while
getting hungry from the great smells wafting from cunningham's.
am i right, or what?
i can't log off without recommending my new favorite tv show, rollergirls. it's on monday nights at ten, on aetv. i wish the 'ville had some rollergirls...
