I have been remiss . . .

I have been remiss in posting to my blog. My sewing mojo disappeared in January. As you may have guessed from my last post, a very good friend died over the holidays, and I have been dealing with her unexpected death. And dealing with the realization and slow acceptance that some questions can never be answered. And that it's possible to be angry with a friend and sad for her at the same time. I can forgive her (and have) but it doesn't get rid of the pain and the unexpected absences. It was a rough January, and I want a do-over, and start the 2010 again. Or maybe start 2009 again (just the friendship part, and not the economic meltdown).

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In late November, I discovered that I had maxed out on my PTO (personal time off), so I planned a sewing vacation during the week of Martin Luther King's birthday. I had a planned project, bought fabric, notions, and etc. Then Boom! All my energy disappeared. I decided that I had to get away and get out of the area and re-charge my brain, so I planned a mini-trip (solo) to Las Vegas. I had been to Las Vegas twice before, but I had flown there and was without a car, so I would be stuck in casinos (which can be entertaining, but I don't gamble) so I decided to drive to Las Vegas. It was a good idea (well, maybe), but it was one of the rainiest weeks in record. Imagine driving in a shower. For 9 hours. I made it there and back, and I would probably do it again, but I could do without the rain and the snow.

It was a fun 3 days, I saw two shows (Penn and Teller are more entertaining than Cris Angel. The Cris Angel show with Cirque du Soleil is going through some growing pains), window-shopped at the Forum (in Caesar's Palace), but the highlight was the Liberace Museum. I wasn't a great fan of Liberace while he was alive, but after his death, I have been able to appreciate his talent, skills, kindness, and personality. It's great to see all of his stuff: rhinestones encrust everything! His cars! his pianos! They have the largest Swarsovki rhinestone! His rings are there, too! And Liberace's costumes! You get to see them, front and back--feathers, rhinestones, bright colors, fur, beads! nothing was done by half measures. It was great! The museum appealed to the sewist in my as well as the magpie that is drawn to all things bright and shiny. If you go to Vegas, I recommend the museum and tour. Liberace was part of the older version of Vegas, and he was one of the first big headliners and it's a great way to spend a couple of hours. The museum is way off the strip on Tropicana, but they have a shuttle that will pick you up.

Since returning, I've made deliberate efforts to keep remain busy, and to re-connect with friends with whom I had lost contact over the past two years as well as re-engage with life (I forgot this lesson from team sports: playing offense is always more fun than playing defense). This upcoming weekend, I'm going to Long Beach, CA for a dance festival (I'm not performing, just taking workshops and enjoying the scene). Which means that on Monday, I get to go fabric shopping in Los Angeles! I have some costume pieces that I need to make for another event in March (as well as some non-costume ideas), so it will be fun to shop with a project in mind.

My sewing mojo is returning. Earlier today, I removed all the stuff that had accumulated on my cutting table, toss the junk mail, sorted the magazines, piled up the patterns, and arranged my scissors, markers, and other sewing stuff into easy reach containers. I dug around in my stash. and I laid out some wildly colored (orange with purple highlights) buttermilk fabric, and I cut out a top to wear at the gym (one of my TNT Kwik-sews). I'm also planning on sewing a new pair of fitness pants, but before that, perhaps I will trace out my original January project, because if I make it this week, I can wear it this weekend. I probably won't finish it in time, but I shouldn't let that stop me from getting started.