Have you ever seen a cuter cowgirl/boy?

Me neither.

You will be missed

Our beloved prophet passed away on Monday. He was an amazing man. Many others said kinds words about him here here, and here. I had the opportunity to be in the same room as him when I was about 15. I don't think I have ever felt a stronger spirit. He is the kind of person you wanted to just stand next to. You felt compelled to serve and to be a better person under his tutelage. He will be greatly missed on this earth.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

This year the holiday fell on Cathy and Kelly's birthday!! I am so fortunate to have been able to spend their birthday with them this year because of Kelly's cute husband, Dave, who orchestrated an amazing girl's weekend for us. Don't worry I will blog all about it, because it was seriously the best!

Back to MLK, Jr.---

What a force! I can only imagine what would happen if he were still alive today. When I think of what he did to lead the Bus Boycott, I wonder if I would have had the courage not to ride the bus. What if I was wearing uncomfortable shoes and just wanted to slip on the back of the bus unnoticed to get relief?

When I think of how his every action was calculated to thwart the Jim Crow laws, I think, would I have had the courage to stand up for equality? What about if my family was being threatened and the FBI was wiretapping my home, would I still believe in nonviolence? Would I have marched alongside King for the right to vote and other basic civil rights?

I look at my life now and see all that I have been able to achieve. I doubt the same opportunities would have been offered to me, if Mr. King had not been the man who he was.

I would encourage you to re-read his famous I have a Dream speech he delivered in Washington, DC in 1963. When I lived in DC and I would visit the Lincoln Memorial, I used to try to envision what it must have felt like to be standing there and listening to him deliver this speech that has become one of the most famous American speeches in history. Would I have been fidgeting or would the magic of the moment, quieted me to stand still?

I think of now how I can embrace both parts of my heritage (black and white) and how back then since I wasn’t 100% white, I would have been scorned from that community. I may have been scorned from the black community too since I wasn’t 100% black. Even though racism STILL exsists, it’s not nearly as bad as it was.

“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’
I have a dream that… [we]…will one day live in a nation where [we] will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.… When we allow freedom ring…we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

I wonder if he is looking down and is satisfied? My guess is no. We still have a long way to go. I think that sometimes, during the hustle and bustle of life, we forget how hard those before us fought! Not only MLK, but countless others. The world isn’t perfect, but I believe Martin Luther King, Jr. was inspired and I believe that he made a difference in my life.

Project #2 - Aprons

Finally I can post these!!

I made a few of these for Christmas and for January birthdays for friends and just distributed the final ones. I used a vintage pattern that I bought on ebay and fabric I bought from purl.

Hopefully some yummy cooking will be done in these!

Mirror, mirror...

Remember this.
It is now this. I can't remember if I ever posted on this or not. But here is the finished product. I didn't do anything cool, just sanded and painted. I kind of ran out of steam...oh well!

Serious Pet Peeve

Everyday, most days more than once, I will see people that still have the X stitch on the back of their coats. You know when you first purchase a coat or jacket, sometimes even certain skirts with pleats and there is a stitch holding it together and then once you buy it, you are supposed to cut the stitch out, so the pleat can move freely. Do people not know you are supposed to cut it? It's stitched on the outside so it's easy to see. It's so annoying and I am not even sure why. I am going to start carrying a pair of scissors in my bag and make myself useful snipping away at people's coats and jackets.
Isn't that weird, or is it just me?

DC

Last weekend I went to DC overnight to see the girls. There is nothing better than being with friends you love, eating delicious food, and shopping!

Danette & Keysia


Gloria and baby Sofia
This was my first time meeting Sofia and I am convinced that we are going to be great friends!
Me and Michael Lewis (Gloria's oldest son). He's clearly happy to see me too! Everyone!

Thanks again ladies for the laughter! It was so much fun!

Project #1

I have been working on a few projects during my break. Here is the one that is most nearest to completion. Just a casual, comfy, navy cotton sateen dress (with a bit of stretch). It was a pretty easy design - didn't take me long at all to drape it. It's basically a combination of a few different pieces that I have had my eye on.















Here is the front view.






Details: side pockets (kind of hard to see but almost my favorite part) and pleating in the front






Here is the back view. Sorry, it hasn't been pressed.

Here is how I would most likely wear it.

More to come later...

It's freezing

I know it comes every year, I should expect it, but then when it starts dipping below 30...and then the 20's and then the teens, that's it! I become a shut in. I may even develop rickets from my lack of Vitamin D absorption. I go from the apartment to the shuttle (across the street) to work (there is an entrance to the subway outside my building), try to eat something nearby or bring my lunch and then reverse it on the way home. There is no hanging out after work, or stopping by to see what this or that store has. Then I get home and curl up on the couch and read. Or watch tv. Or watch Dereck cook. Or sleep. But the point is I hardly see the light of day.

Yesterday was the coldest, it's supposed to "warm up" over the weekend. I am ready for Spring already! Or for snowsuits to be instyle then I could just wear one of those all the time!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

(Dereck and I had creative differences about which picture to post. I wanted the one above, he wanted the one below.)

But, from our family to yours, hope you have a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2008!

Christmas Photos

First and formost, this is my office looking great at our "bad sweater" contest. The guy in the back left won. Don't you love the vests?


This was taken at Dereck's Dad's house.
Me, Dereck and his niece ShericaJon and baby Stacie

Dereck and his grandmother
Dereck with his mom

Merry Christmas!

I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas yesterday! Dereck and I were in Boston and enjoyed a lovely time with his family. This marriage thing is strange in that you all of a sudden have instantly another family. So other than still trying to grasp that concept we had a fun time together. Thanks to priceline, we were able to stay at the Le Meridian hotel near MIT which was nice and the weather wasn't too frightful. It was a whirlwind trip that consisted of eating a lot, visiting house to house and last minute shopping, but a lot of together time, which was great. Hope your holidays were happy!!

12 Days of Christmas

Since Dereck and I still consider ourselves newlyweds, we are still forming our family traditions. One of our newest and I think best so far is to do the 12 days of Christmas each year. Since this year was the first official, we both are having so much fun with it. It really helps to bring out the spirit of giving days before the actual day of Christmas. Some of the gifts cost no money – and can be as simple as a note or a cupcake, but all the gifts come from a spirit of kindness and love. It’s brought a special feeling into our home. I mean, it’s kind of hard to be mad at someone if they are giving you a gift everyday! I’m not going to lie, it’s been hard keeping up with the days sometimes, being so busy, but on the reverse end it brings a bit of excitement at the end of a long day.
Today is Day number 7 and I am sad that we are on the downward slope. Maybe next year we’ll do the 30 days of Christmas…haha
Some of the favorites that I’ve gotten so far is: a tennis racket, a coupon for a Christmas wish of my choice, and something for the lips and the hips (Mac lip glass and delicious chocolates). So funny!

Nearly done

After tonight I will be done (with the semester, not forever)! I can’t believe the semester is over! It’s been such a busy one, it’s kind of gone on in a blur! I am sooo tired and burned out, but happy and relieved as well. Now, I can relax for a month, perhaps work on some projects for ME, not for class and enjoy the holidays.

Tailoring - part 3

I guess I overreacted...I know, shock to all of you. It wasn't even
bad. In fact, nobody in my class was finished. I mean he's been
doing this for 40 years and we've been doing it for one semester. He
even gave us a piece of chocolate. Apparently he's a softy after all.

Sent from my iPhone

Tailoring - part 2

Apparently I can only write so much in an email. Stupid blogspot.
Anyway, to cut my rantings short. I am tired, burned out and can't
wait for this semester to be over. Thursday is the last day!!!
Please wish me luck tonight as I get told that my jacket is worst than
a day old bagel. Sucks that I worked hard all semester on a jacket
that doesn't reflect that. Ok, my button is done. Gotta go do as
much as I can before 6pm.

Sent from my iPhone

Tailoring - part 1

As I sit hear waiting for my buttonhole to be completed I am
sweating. A) because its so cold outside and so hot in here and I'm
still all bundled up and b) because I have to face my teacher with my
incomplete garment.
I had been staying up all week trying to finish up the various parts
of my finals and I think my body finally gave up! It had had enough!
I layed down at 3:40am knowing that I was supposed to wake up at
6:30am. I didnt hear my alarm until 8:41am!!! Which means that I
missed my 8am dentist appointment, and would be late to my
internship. But I was sooo tired so I sent an email to my internship
and then layer back down until 11:30. What is my problem?? Not only
am i going to turn in a crappy project, but I will have to hear from
my teacher just how horrible it is.

Sent from my iPhone

Is this a sweatshop?

I took these photos on the sly, while pretending to look at something on my iphone. I get to go to these factories most weeks at my internship and it's hard to describe what they are like to someone who has never seen them. I doubt that they would like to have it posted on my blog, but oh well. They all look pretty much the same and I didn't get any faces or completed garments, so it's pretty incognito.

Everytime I go there or any of the other factories I am fascinated. The amount of stuff (fabric, thread, etc.) lying around is insane and the fact that they know where things are are is pretty crazy!
This particular one is located on one of the top floors in the garment district in a fairly non-descript building. Run by Asians (most in this area are), but there are a lot of Spanish speaking workers in some. It's a very interesting world, I must say.


Here are my soapbox remarks.
Honestly, the most important issue to me is humans being treated fairly. It's disgusting that in some of the shops around the world, workers are being paid a few cents a day and we are in turn buying that garment for hundreds of dollars. One of my teachers told us how a huge problem is outsourcing done by the factories. Everything looks kosher, but women will come and pick up a load of items to sell and she and her children are all sewing it at home...

This issue is more important than going green (which is very important), more important than being ahead of trends, so many other things. If people are being treated inhumanely then all is lost. There is so much corruption in this industry and with American consumers trying to get the best clothing at the lowest prices, I have a feeling it's only going to get worse! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good bargain, but at what price? I feel passionate that when I start my line that I will try and visit every factory. If that means that my garments will cost a bit more or I make a lower profit, so be it! But, I honestly don't know. It's sooo easier said that done, but it's something I want to strive for.

I hope that my impact on the world is positive over all, not contributing to the negativity.

In Memory of: My Uncle Gordon

Last Friday, I flew back to Arizona to attend the memorial service for my mother's brother. We just saw him the week prior while we were there for Thanksgiving and you can see by the pictures below - he looked great! It was very unexpected and happened quickly, but we are grateful that he didn't suffer much. In my church we believe that we'll see those that we lost again. So in my mind I can tell myself that, but of course it is still sad. From my point of view, the one thing that is great about funerals is being able to see those you don't get to see very often. There is something about mourning with others that somehow makes you feel better. It was a heartfelt and positive service. He had a tremendous life. Great family. I can't even imagine how much they will miss him. And for my mom, this is her first sibling to pass, he is only 5 years older than him. It is hard for her. I am so happy that I was able to be there and spend time with my family and aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Wintuk

For our company holiday party we were taken to see the Cirque de Soleil called Wintuk at Madison Square Garden. It was a lot of fun! Some parts were nothing more than just street perfomancers that you would see anywhere, but some parts were the creepy, bendy, people that I like!


Dereck and I had a good time - it's always nice to have a night out that you don't have to pay for!