Playing catch up.

Where to start?  Well, I wasn’t able to update my blog, but I did make my daily pieces over the past few days- even threw in some extra pieces.  So…let’s back up, travel back in time...

Thursday, Feb 7th… I went to the Armory with the Art Hive girls as press for the first annual Fashion ARTillery event.  It gave me a chance to wear the super sparkly necklace I made on Wednesday night, to look at fashion/art creations and to hang out with my friends- all good things.  One thing that was not…one of the main reasons that I was excited to attend the event was that Iris Apfel, fashion icon, was the Honorary event chair.  Seriously, version of who I want to be when I grow up and I was so excited to have a chance to see her in person, or maybe even meet her via Art Hive official business.

But alas, no Iris.  At the start of the event they announced that she had been called back to NYC unexpectedly.  I imagined her hurriedly packing some LV luggage, her rings on all fingers making a gentle clinking sound as she quickly folded silk blouses in vibrant colors, textured scarves, a motley crew of multi-hued and bejeweled bracelets and baubles…tipping her thick black glasses down as she did the once over and then dashed out, designer shoes clacking as she walked away.  Yeah, it was probably just like that.

Wait, where was I?  Oh yes, there I was, in my black dress, crazy necklace, red heels, channeling my inner fashionista.  Trying to fit in at this fancy event.  Iris or no Iris, might as well make the most of it.  So we did.

The first look down the runway- literally, there was a gasp from the audience.  This was my first runway event, I watch them all the time on TV, but I wasn’t prepared for the real-time reactions, and it made it that much more exciting.  Literally- a gasp.  The first look was a wedding gown made of coffee filters.  It did not look like coffee filters- the artist had manipulated the material to have the hand of fabric.  The piece really moved as she walked down the runway, and had the appurtenance of ruffles.  I was in heaven.  What a way to kick off the event. 

What followed was a mixture of looks, some more wearable than others, but each representing someone that had taken the challenge to create a piece for this event.  There was an evening gown that included roving and felted wool, an AMAZING gown out of trash bags with canned soda tab embellishments, structures made of wire, and bodices constructed of ceramic tile pieces…hand dying…sigh.  I was in my element.  Jess and I vowed that next year we would make pieces for the show- and we will.  Expect- sparkle and shine.

Armory Art Center, First Annual Fashion ARTillery Event

Iris, please let me be you when I grow up.

But again…no Iris.  On my drive home I decided I needed to pay tribute to this lady who I had hoped to meet.  So…as soon as I got in, I bolted to my closet, grabbed some chunky bracelets, layered on a few more necklaces and found a pair of black-rimmed glasses leftover from Jess’ birthday party…and…I did my best ‘Iris’ as John took a picture.  This is the picture I posted Thursday night before I cried myself to sleep. Sigh.

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I.heart.Florida.

Then, I rotated between finishing up my art piece for the day and packing for Orlando.

Friday, February 8th…off to school to teach a half-day and then I was on the road to Orlando to judge the National High School Cheerleading Championships.  This was my second time judging this event.  The first time I judged NHSCC was back when I lived in NC, when John and I were in grad school at ECU.  I remember taking a flight on a small plane out of Greenville (that was SO scary) and then after another flight I was in Florida, walking around in 75+ degree weather in February. They put us up in the same place, Coronado Springs resort, I can remember walking around by the water and talking to my husband on the phone and commenting that I could get used to living in Florida.

Well, a couple of years later that’s what I am doing.  Living in Florida.  Funny how things work out.

Umm…so…drawing by the water judges meeting…took myself out to a fancy dinner and drew while I waited…then came back to the room and got some sleep.  That was Friday.

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Friday...artin' at the hotel before my judges meeting and after, of course!

Saturday and Sunday...a blur of sparkle, cheer and art.

Saturday and Sunday were filled with cheerleading and whenever I had a minute- art.  Add my own sparkly accessories and the glitzy uniforms and poms and all of my favorite things were in the same room- art, cheer and sparkle.  The only thing missing was my husband and the cats, but they aren’t as into the cheer and sparkle, so it’s best that I enjoyed it without them.


So..here are the pieces from the past few days.  I made the work and posted the in-progress pics on instagram, but I just did not have time to sit down and blog and to take my final pics for the web and FB album.  But..here…they…are.

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And this week?  Wow.  It is going to be busy.  Two basketball games at IMS, parent/teacher conference night and another full weekend of judging cheer in Atlanta…and I need to take my husband out to celebrate the fact that he passed the first part of his dissertation defense last Friday…I am so proud of him!