National Novel Writing Month, November 2010

I've been participating in National Novel Writing Month since November 1st.  I'm polishing up some stories that I gathered from my Mother over the years and fashioning them into a memoir. There are eleven days left in the month of November and I have many more words to go to hit the magic number of 50,000.

Do you have a favorite family story that you'd like to share?  Please comment below and join me in participating in Nanowrimo.

Ragamuffin Skeins All in a Row

Ragamuffin Handspun Cotton Rag Yarn (2), originally uploaded by stelladanza's confections.

I took advantage of the recent hot Santa Ana weather in San Diego and set the twist of several dozen skeins of handspun Ragamuffin yarn. I'm using some of it to make wreaths for a local craft show in a few weeks.

"Setting the twist" of a handspun yarn can be accomplished by steaming, but more commonly it is done by washing and drying the newly spun yarn once it has been secured with ties into a loose skein form.

I wash the Ragamuffin yarn by hand in a small wash tub like the ones my grandmothers and great-grandmothers used. Next I feed each skein through a hand-wringer to remove the rinse water.

One of my dearest friends (who loves hand-laundering) encouraged me to buy the hand-wringer from the Lehman's catalog a few years ago. It has been an indispensable tool in the making of my Ragamuffin yarn.

I had experimented with washing and drying the skeins in a conventional washer and dryer. The result: too many tangles. The old way, in this case, is the better way.

The whole process of handwashing, wringing, and hanging the yarn out on the clothesline to dry is meditative. I find myself slowing down and reflecting on my foremothers and their graceful dance of daily tasks.

My Handmade Wedding Dress

Christmas 1981, originally uploaded by stelladanza's confections.

Christmas 1981

I was a newlywed that December. In this photo taken by my sister-in-law, I am wearing my wedding gown which I upcycled from a vintage fine lawn eyelet bedspread I had bought from a sweet woman at a garage sale in Houston.

The pearls were a gift from my parents, the brooch an heirloom from my Dad's Mom. The narcissus in my hair was plucked from the neighbor's yard (shhhh!).

John Lennon Animated Tribute

Family Gathering, Christmas 1955

Family Gathering, Christmas 1955, originally uploaded by stelladanza's confections.

A family gathering during the Christmas holiday season (1955, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania) is captured here. My mother was the photographer. My Dad, two uncles, two aunts, two cousins, and three of my brothers are pictured. I'm in the lower left of the photo.  For an additional photo from this season, see this earlier blog post.

This snapshot requires some restoration, but I wanted to scan and post it in all its imperfect glory first.

Mommy at the Civic Arena, June 1964

Collage of My Mom at the Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, June 1964, originally uploaded by stelladanza's confections.

My Mom would have been eighty-five on October 2nd. She passed away on Valentine's Day this year. My sister and I spent her birthday together visiting some of her favorite places in San Diego and doing things that she would have enjoyed.

This snapshot of my Mom was taken by me in June of 1964 in front of the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The occasion was my eldest brother's high school graduation. My cousin and I accompanied my Mom to the festivities, and you can see the picture that she took of us here.

Love you and miss you, Mutti ♥

Vintage Miniature Girl Figure

Vintage Miniature Girl Figure, originally uploaded by stelladanza's confections.

One of the little treasures in my collection of miniatures is this vintage girl who stands about 3.75 inches tall. She has suffered damage and been repaired, giving her even more appeal in my book. I featured her in a little stop-motion video in a post two days ago. As I document my miniatures, they will grace these pages. Enjoy!