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art creativity design English literature humor quilts work

answer to the riddle / solution de la devinette : Frankenstein quilt/wall-hanging no. 2 !

Thanks for coming back!  The answer to yesterday’s riddle is today’s finished creation:  Frankenstein patchwork quilt / wall-hanging no. 2!  This original artwork is both useful and pretty, though it may bring on nightmares… It can hold your phone and keys in its pocket made of tuxedo pants, all the while thrilling the touch with lustrous satins, silks, and the beaded décor of an evening jacket. Meanwhile, your eyes will follow the story—told as if on the page of a book, from top left to bottom right–of Mary Shelley’s poignant creature in Frankenstein. (Details below.) Available now in a limited edition, this Frankenstein quilt no. 2 has a 100% cotton back made of “Stargazers” blue cotton with gold accents, and a sleeve allowing it to play double duty (as a bed cover or wall-hanging).

Merci d’être revenus pour la suite ! La solution de la devinette est: Le patchwork quilt / tenture « Frankenstein » no. 2!

Cette œuvre d’art originale est utile et agréable, quand elle ne te donne pas de cauchemars… Elle peut cacher discrètement le téléphone portable et les clés dans sa poche tout en caressant la main avec ses tissus (le satin, la soie, un morceau d’une veste perlée). Entretemps, laisse tes yeux plonger dans l’histoire—racontée comme un livre, du haut en bas, de gauche à droite—de la créature ô combien pathétique, du roman de Mary Shelley, Frankenstein.  (Les détails se trouvent ci-dessous.) Un sleeve attaché au haut permet de l’afficher sans l’abimer, quand il ne sert pas de couverture sur un lit. Ce patchwork quilt Frankenstein no. 2, disponible désormais en édition limitée, est doublé d’un dos 100% coton « Stargazers », bleu marine avec des accents dorés.

Frankenstein quilt / wall-hanging, no. 2

Captain Walton, a ship captain, initially promises a strange story about a person whose name starts with “F.” He is stuck in the ice and snow, and lonely for human contact, so he takes pen in hand. He writes of a scientist who works in secret laboring long into the night, and taking bodies from unhallowed graves, as he tries a fiendish experiment. A creature is born of his work! The creature loves the sights and sensations of being alive, delights in nature, and becomes fond of a peasant family living nearby. He watches their games.

Eventually, he develops jealousy. He demands a mate. The scientist refuses. When his hopes are dashed, the creature descends into despair, then anger. For the rest of his days, he pursues a vendetta against his creator and his kin. Finally, the scientist and this awful being face off on a ship in the Arctic, before the monster disappears into the fog.

The dramatic effects are enhanced by the following designer accents:

– the three-piece sepia hunt sequence (rabbit, leaves, and dog) is “On Point” by Brunschwig & Fils Inc.

– The watery looking brown and white silk in the top left is “Cawdor” by Nina Campbell

– The light green utopia of fox and fawn, is called “Woodland Gathering” by Betsy Olmsted

– The green Frankenstein head buttons are from Buttons Galore

– The original cartoon of Frankenstein’s creature was drawn by Seattle artist John Douthwaite

-The black serge tuxedo pants with pocket are from Louie’s Tux Shop

Machine quilted, finished by hand; With a sleeve for wall mounting; Polyester batting

Made in Seattle by Honey Girl Books and Gifts LLC:  honeygirlbooks.com

36″ x 45″

Available now on etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/759595175/frankenstein-quilt-wall-hanging?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1

Frankenstein, patchwork / tenture no. 2

Le Capitaine Walton, du bord de son navire, commence en évoquant un personnage étrange qu’il rencontra en route au Pôle Nord, dont le nom commence par « F ». Puisque son navire ne peut avancer dans la mer de glace, il prend la plume et décrit ce personnage, un scientifique qui travailla tard dans la nuit, seul dans son laboratoire. Il prend des cadavres des tombes impies, pour tenter une expérience interdite: la création d’un être humain.  Une créature est née de ses labeurs ! La créature prend du plaisir à vivre : il aime la nature et les paysans qui vivent près de sa cachette dans la forêt. Il les regarde dans leurs jeux. Il apprend à leur envier leur sort. Il voudrait les rejoindre.

Avec le temps, la jalousie le prend. Il désire avoir une femme et demande au scientifique de lui en fabriquer un partenaire. Celui-ci refuse. C’est alors que le désespoir, puis la rage envahissent la créature. Il passera le reste de ses jours à poursuivre son créateur—et sa famille—pour se venger de sa misère. Enfin les deux se rencontrent dans la mer arctique, ils se disputent, et le monstre disparaît pour jamais dans la brume.

Les effets dramatiques sont soulignés par les étoffes designer comme suit :

– la chasse en trois moments (le lapin, les feuilles, le chien de chasse) est « Sur le point » par Brunschwig & Fils Inc.

– La soie marron et blanc s’appelle « Cawdor » par Nina Campbell

– Le coton en vert clair où un renard et un daim demeurent en paix, s’appelle « Woodland Gathering » par Betsy Olmsted

– Le tissu serge noire, tiré d’un smoking, vient de Louie’s Tux Shop

– La caricature originale de la créature de Frankenstein vient de l’artiste John Douthwaite (Seattle, WA)

L’ouate est 100% polyester: léger mais cosy; Finition à la main; 91 cm. x 114cm

Fabriqué à Seattle, WA, USA par Honey Girl Books and Gifts LLC:  honeygirlbooks.com

Disponible maintenant sur etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/759595175/frankenstein-quilt-wall-hanging?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1

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art creativity design travel

Inspiration strikes again! The “Seattle Sunset” pillow is born

Seattle Sunset with Buddha head.jpg

This new “Seattle Sunset” pillow is inspired by my love of my hometown, and the wonderful feel of satin and fine cotton.

I hope you like the photo essay showing how it came to be:

To order, visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/HoneyGirlBooksGifts !

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art children conflict creativity design health social media

Save us from our phones with a pillow

Energized by an excellent article, “Save Us from our Phones!” by Casey Schwartz in today’s New York Times, I fired off the following letter to the editor:

Hello!

Thank you for today’s article by Casey Schwartz, “Save Us from our Phones.” I’ve revived an ancient technology for combatting the cellphone epidemic: a pocket. Each pillow produced by my microbusiness, “Honey Girl Books and Gifts,” has a pocket on the back. Informal data from happy clients, including my former students at Notre Dame, indicates that it works. As Godsee, age 19 wrote, “The pillow has become my go-to item when I want to relax and take a break from studying or work. With a cup of tea, a good book, and the very helpful and much-needed cellphone pocket (to store away distractions for a moment), the pillow has become an ideal source of comfort. I definitely recommend!”

Perhaps we need to reject tech devices entirely. Power to the pillow!

Sincerely,

Julia Douthwaite Viglione

Owner and chief seamstress, Honey Girl Books and Gifts

https://www.honeygirlbooks.com/

Honey Girl Books and Gifts is now on Etsy too!

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creativity friendship health meditation

a challenge awaits tomorrow

Today was wonderful in many ways, but one thing stands out for its jaw-drop amazement value. I’m still reeling and wondering what will happen tomorrow.

First a plug for my Tranquility Pillows, via Honey Girl Books and Gifts! I delivered two to the Notre Dame Counseling Center today, for all those anxious folks on campus to gain some relief. Midterms are this week–a good week to disconnect from those phones.

Speaking of disconnecting, can you disconnect from yourself in the mirror?

I had lunch with a friend who I’m starting to suspect knows me better than I realize… or at least she has rapidly zoomed in on a long-time phobia. After sharing many anecdotes of our various creative processes and projects, I told her about my morning routine and how good it makes me feel etc. etc, and she said, “Could you do the meditation in front of a mirror?”

OMG. Never, ever would I have chosen that challenge. I hate mirrors.

I realize she is forcing me to go beyond the comfort zone. It is true. I read and blab all about integrity, being grounded, being “full and complete, yet empty with nothing to protect” (Ralston). I wax poetic about the sky and birds and trees, time and timelessness, “letting go” and being mindful. But can I bear the simple challenge of looking at myself for thirty minutes?  (Can you?)

Tomorrow is day one. Not only do I detest this idea, it also happens that the five days of the challenge lead right across my birthday. But a deal is a deal, and now I’m getting kind of curious.

I said I’d do it if she would do it. But she actually likes to look at herself in the mirror! (For me, it’s more a question of wondering who that person is. She looks happy and fit, but … well, kind of old.) I definitely look more like the elders than the youngsters in in the beautiful and poignant series “Reflections: Portraits of the Elderly Seeing their Younger Selves,” by Dallas-based artist Tom Hussey.  (I especially love the seamstress).

More to come on this bizarre and disconcerting 5-day challenge.

Do it yourself if you dare!