I Danced Around The House This Morning

I've read somewhere that never a day goes by without a song. It's true. Whether sung by me in my now reedy voice that used to perform in clubs as half of Salt And Pepper (I was Pepper), or the absolutely ecstatic chortling of a mockingbird outside my window just a happy clam to be alive, I hear songs.

This morning, the first post I read was An Artists Journal. Martha found an amazing multi medium artist from Germany, Eva Marie Nerling. I just added her to my favorite links and will see if I can snag an interview. The blog I read on her site had an incredible fun and snappy song called "Wir machen das klar" -- "We'll fix it!" by Jan Delay.

Go ahead and click on the link . If you can keep still, not giggle at the band's method of 'Fixing IT', write me, let me know where you got your lobotamy what drugz you're on! I have so often felt like Fixin' It when faced with a mess that's so entangled as to be untenable, doesn't matter if it's a dress somebody 'started to make' or a family situation.

Enjoy!

P.M. Update: And I mean Post Mortem, NOT post meridiem/matin!

It is not a good idea to dance in the kitchen with a broken bone and a leg brace. It has now moved down to my ankle along with the swelling.

Miracle Wrap Skirt Pattern Promise

I've noticed lots of interest for something called a 'Miracle Skirt'. From what I gather, it's a simple wrap skirt with some souped-up differences. I've made some preliminary sketches and will see if I can't come up with a pattern for you for the second free pattern in my series.

Stay tuned.

Here's the progress on my colorful knee experiment. The bruising is moving toward my ankle now and has completely enveloped my knee.

Day 4

Diving For The Floor

I told Vikki North that I really have not felt like blogging much the past months, haven't even kept up with the blogs that I follow. It's not depression or laziness or lack of topics to write about. I've just been introspective. Thoughts about aging, which I long ago embraced, progress and changes that have happened throughout my journey and the like have been occupying a lot of my time.

I've been 'Touching The Rock' so to speak. This is what I say when someone is going through self-evaluation, i.e., "How far have I come? What have I accomplished here? Am I on the path I chose for myself and have my dreams been fruitful"? It usually comes several times in life where we sing that old Peggy Lee song, Is That All There Is? Or, as Jack Nicholson ratchets up the angst in his psychiatrist's office with the question from the title line of the movie, "Is this as good as it gets"?

It's about setting goals for what comes next, and yet not. It's feeling like you're hanging on the wall, a spider in a fugue state - same position, same place for weeks, not really moving, just kind of being there. Waiting.

I've been going over a check list. Maybe it started because I notice that I write check lists for everything these days to jog my somewhat iffy memory: What I'm going to do today; what projects need finished; a personal honey-do list. I make the lists because it feels good to cross them off as they've been attended to. And I also write them because I really need to or I forget something vital.

So. I've started noticing things more - how the wrinkles are accumulating on my face compared to the life mask in plaster made of a vibrant 27 year old me hanging near me. There are no squint marks, crepey lids or neck, no tiny fissures on lips for lipstick to creep into on that life sculpture. Just the firm and defined face of my youth.

Then there's the way my body betrays me by getting winded on a short stroll to the road trying to herd cats back to the house or the way I lumber and grunt going up a short flight of stairs to the accompaniment of creaking joints and shaky flesh. THIS body that used to dive out of airplanes, wrangle horses, jump motorcycles over mounds of dirt and rock, outrun the neighborhood boys, belly dance, love me up some men, work 14 hours - HARD and still want to go out dancing once the wood was stacked. THOSE kind of changes.

Another of my changes that brought home this past Monday at 2:30 a.m. is my waning lack of grace and agility. I literally forgot where I was getting out of the bed to pee. Forgot that I'd plugged in a small space heater to combat Florida's version of hard winter at 32 degrees and closelined myself at mid leg. Sent me flying ass end over tea kettle. I put my hands out to stop my face from kissing the floor, but my knee landed perfectly.

I knew something was not right because the pain was excruciating and immediate. I pick myself up, grab an ice bag and hope for the best. An hour and a half later watching the discoloration creeping around and outward from the point of impact and the growing size of things, I figured I better get myself to the ER and hobbled out to the car. Xrays, a shot in the leg, a Medieval leg brace, a script for drugz, and four hours later, I'm home. The orthopedic surgeon the ER folks referred me to took more xrays today, said I'd broken my knee cap, put me in another device to immobilize it, gave me stronger drugz, and sent me home for the swelling to go down.

The Percoset I took when I got home is giving me a strange disassociation with the offending knee. I've forgiven myself the clumsiness, realize that watching my face and body evolve from that killer physique and hottie face into this Who, is actually pretty neat and interesting. I'd give it a nine on the entertainment scale. Another side effect of the Percoset is finding the most incredible color scheme in my flesh.

Something made me take pictures of it when I first did the 3 pointer into the floor, yesterday, and again today. Martha Marshall is always taking pictures of rusty stuff, concrete, pipes and chipped paint to drive her art. I'm thinking of offering her my knee portraits to add to her inspiration folder.

I'm also thinking that the floor dive is a way for the Cosmic to tell me to continue the introspection since I won't be off partying anytime soon.

Day 1

Day 2


Day 3

Sunny Rising

I first chanced upon a picture-less paragraph in Craft Magazine Daily, an online anthology of various and sundry creativity that is one of the tools that gives me the impetus to keep creating. I need visual caffeine. Otherwise I would die, smell up the neighborhood, and be found some time later as a mummified corpse along with several cats as bony companions.

This one article said, “A Leathercrafter's Story: Etsy's Handmade Portraits" series goes in depth with successful sellers to tell the story of their creative rise to fame. In this one, learn how Allison Sattinger started her own line of beautiful leather crafts, Sunny Rising Leather"

"Valentine Koi" Leather by Sunny Sattinger

"Mixed Season Garland" leather by Sunny Sattinger

I went and looked, saw that they spelled her name wrong among other sins, then followed the URL trail. An hour or so later, I felt like I had found a child of mine. My email to her says pretty much everything I felt:

Miss Sunny,

Discovered you via Craft Magazine. No pictures or color or sounds. Just a blurb. The fools. First I found your art. Then I found your music. Honeylamb. Child. Darlin'. I have visions of you singing "The Love Of Your Life" at the next VMA Awards show with appropriate back lighting in a swanky gown. I'm retired from costuming or I'd want to make it. I'd like to help in a tiny way to get you there.

No stalking or hanging out in trees across from your house. I'm a 'femme de certain age' at 61, too fat to climb and sit on tenuous limbs, and you ain't my flavor. But. I can do a small part by doing a blurb and feature you on my blog, send you out to my upline, which is not all that huge, but dedicated, multi-cultural and multi-national/countries and scared NOT to do anything I tell them they need to do or buy. In this case, your CD.

Dumplin'. You've got one of THOSE voices. I hear Nancy Griffith, Patti Smith, Jewel, Carole King, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Norah Jones, and a dash of K.D. Lang in there. You need your music out there. I hope your man understands.

I want nothing in return except maybe a subject for my blog so my coterie will get off my arse for a week or two. I'm a bit of an eccentric old fart with every possible joy in life right here in my hand. So. You can give me nothing and have nothing I need.

But I took a look at that face of yours, those huge blue eyes, and then I heard your pipes. Let me do this and then I won't aggravate you anymore. I want to put a video or two from YouTube, an uber brief bio and links to your Etsy shop and My Space where the CD can be bought. I will buy my own copy.

You can check me out at www.deepwaterjournal.blogspot.com, and my Etsy shop is Deepwater Trading Company at http://www.deepwater.etsy.com I had a website with my costumes on it but some eternal pubescent from N. Korea or Van Nuys hacked in and stole it.

Say yes and keep my blood pressure meds down for the day.

Blessings,
Dina Kerik
Shamanamama

And Sunny answered. Graciously. I have spent the last month dancing around Dogpatch singing “Love of Your Life” by Miss Sattinger. I almost have the lyrics memorized and the cats love it, too. Here's the video of her, guitarist and friend Matt Coleman singing an al fresco version

See them Wedgewood Blue eyes as big as moons? See them teeth in a smile that lights up a room like thousand watt kliegs? Can you believe that voice?!! I've got a feeling in my bones about Sunny Sattinger. And yes, honeychild. I want to name you. I think SUNNY should be a nom de guerre for this talented young woman Cher, Prince and Jewel are.

Can't get enough of her music same as me? Watch videos of her from THIS selection or this one HERE on YouTube.

Want to buy her CD (cover below)? See her My Space page here.

As if the voice weren't talent enough, she does metalwork along with her leather sculpture.

"Love in Ruins" Varacite/Silver by Sunny Sattinger

"Moon Phases" by Sunny Sattinger

I'm anticipating big things for Allison Sattinger – Sunny. I just may hang around long enough to make that slinky dress.

And I'll end this with a blessing. Sunny's blessing.

(Ed. Note: All photos, videos and music used with the express permission of Allison Sattinger. Copyright Allison Sattinger. Works may not be reproduced in any form or used without prior permission. I think that covers it.)

Happy New Year??

A toungue-in-check look back. Portending more of the same in 2009? I'm going to be enthusiastically blonde and wish all of you prosperous, creative and peaceful New Year!

Blessings to all,
Dina