Hi from Michigan

the view from the front door a week ago of my new home

Hi from Michigan.
I have been here two months now.  I moved from very hot and muggy conditions in Dakar to summer time weather here which turned quickly into a very condensed autumn.  It is predicted to snow already by the end of the week. 
In that period of time, we purchased a house, entered the children into school, and have begun to unpack our long term storage items.  We are still awaiting our items from Africa.
There is a lot said about reverse culture shock by expats. One of the things I find overwhelming is all of the stuff easily available everywhere, and at such great prices!  It is so easy to spend money.  Another difference is everyone seems to have a smartphone and expects you to have one too.  I haven't figured out how to get a prepaid phone yet and it seems like one is required to have a plan whether you have a contract or not.  This might sound weird but I also notice I am not 'special' anymore.  I don't stick out anymore and believe it or not that is a little uncomfortable since I have gotten used to being the foreigner.  I also miss my friends in Dakar and the amount of time I had to spend with them and pursue my interests.

Deer and other wildlife walk through my backyard daily

Life in the US goes so fast and so I am intentionally trying to move slowly while settling in to this new environment.  So many things to do but I feel I need to just set up my house and make sure the children are settling in too.  Luckily the new house is so grounding that it soothes me whenever I look out the window.
Lastly, if you get a chance, please vote in this week's Spoonflower Calavera contest, ending Thursday.  In honor of Day of the Dead, here is my entry based on Calaveras and Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass Calavera.

Classically Feminine

Graceful 1950's ballerinas



This week's contest theme at Spoonflower is Ballerinas.  My entry was inspired my our new home, a 1950's build, and the anticipation of decorating my daughter's bedroom.  In case you haven't been reading my blog she is very girly, so I tried to fit all of that in to my design.  Please consider voting this this week's contest.


Other feminine designs I have created lately are the new editions to the African Inspired collection.  Theses new designs inspired by cranes and flora from my time in Senegal.  There are four color ways available.


Crowning Glory of West Africa

I have also added designs to my Profusion of Roses collections. This is one of my favorite recent designs is Hexie Roses Deep Hues.  I love the colors and it is such a usable print for many applications.  All designs are available as fabric, wallpaper and giftwrap.

Hexie Roses Deep Hues

Recent Fabric Projects: The Leaf Edition

After four years of living in warm climates it is nice to see the colors and smell the scent of fall leaves again.  All of the projects in this week's post have been inspired by leaves.
I love it when customers give me permission to share their projects.  Here is Rose Leaves Ditsy Vintage as a very lovely dress.  Thanks for sharing!

I took my own advice from back in July sewed this easy project.  I lined a yard of my Trash Art Rose Leaves Multi on White with a golden khaki knit to make a terrific scarf for cooler weather.

And I am very excited to continue supplying the wonderful children's clothing designer, Dandy Lion Company, with my Yellow Gingko Leaves design. It is used in a tunic that is part of their fall line.

Calendula Healing Salve

My friend Hannah was kind enough to give me a share of some of her dried herbs and the following recipie for Healing Calendula Salve.  I did this easy project with my children.

Here is her recipe:

2T Calendula Flower
2T Comfrey Leaf
2T Chamomille
2T Plantain
2tsp Rosemary
1/2 cup olive oil
add herbs to an airtight container and pour oil over them
store in cool, dark place for 2+ weeks
and then heat strained oil in double boiler with .5 ounce beeswax pastilles until wax melted.  Pour into tin or other container. 

Along with the recipe Hannah gave me, I followed the slow process at The Nerdy Farm Wife.  Our results were a little less volume than hers but that maybe because we used more plant material.  We reused a mint tin and another small vial poured our salve into. 

To those who have made my life in Senegal richer

Emily Sambou with my children

I have just left Dakar, Senegal to move back to the United States.  The last two years in Senegal were very rich years and I wanted to publicly thank many of the local people who made a real impact on my life.  So let's pretend you have a glass of your favorite beverage and raise our virtual glasses to a few of the people. 

The first, is Emily Sambou, our housekeeper, who was sweet, conscientious and reliable.  Throughout our two years she made my life easier so I could make my art, organize events and be with my children.  I deeply appreciated her work.  As of today she is still looking for work, let me, contact me if you are interested hiring her.  So, here's a toast to her!



Bouboucar with my daughter and Tinkerbell

Next is Boubacar Seck, one of our gaurds who was consistently friendly while also professional. He helped me add a little Woolof to my vocabulary.  He and my daughter really hit it off too.   I raise my glass to you Boubacar.

And let's raise the glass again to Anne Marie, my tailor.  She studied and interned in fashion design in France.  She is incredibly talented and her skills made some smashing clothing.  Anne Marie herself is a joy to work with.  Pictured are a couple of the items she has made with my fabric designs.  A soft jacket made with my Roosters of New York fabric in Performance Knit and a party dress in Cotton Silk with two designs; Ghana Butterflies on Steel Blue on the top and Ghana Fantastic Floral Yellows on Steel Blue for the skirt. I will be sharing a couple of the African wax items she created in the future. 

Anne Marie would love to come to the US on a working vacation.  The idea is she trades tailoring for you for a plane ticket and a spare bedroom.  She designs and sews for you and your friends a few days and she tours and see the sites a few days.  Anne Marie speaks perfect English.  Contact her on Facebook if you are interested.  I am happy to recommend her. Thanks so much Anne Marie, I raise a glass to you.

 

A jacket made with my Roosters of New York design

party dress in cotton silk from my Ghana Floral Collection 

Next is my husband's tailor, Seydou Diallo.  Fabric is generally less expensive in Senegal and the tailors so good that one would be crazy not to get a couple of things made.  Seydou was also trained in France to tailor men's suits.  Here is my husband Joe proudly showing off his work.  And here's a glass to him.

I will miss all of the wonderful musicians I was honored to work with and get to know while organizing monthly house concerts with Dakar Music Appreciation Group but I will miss none more than Cheikha.  He is so personable and a terrific musician.  He stopped by on our last night to drop by a CD of his music.  Check him out.  He can play traditional and popular music.  He is very versatile and a pleasure to work with.  Here's a glass to Cheikha.

And lastly I raise a glass to all of the artists I have met, too many to mention, but a few have been profiled on this blog in the last few months.  It was an honor to be in Senegal during the Biennale.  I am thankful to have been able to work with you and wish you much success. 



Self Portrait Challenge Doll

"Interior View" (c) Penney Hughes 2014

This doll is my entry into the Dollstreet Dreamers self portrait challenge.  I have called it Interior View.  She not meant to look like me but instead represent a concept.  The first photo of the doll is closer to how I imagined she would look like.  She is intended to be a sort of inner self guardian angel contemplating layers that have been stripped away.  The exterior layers layers that have been stripped away are composed of fabrics I have designed.
The doll was a challenge to make.  She has a wire skeleton lightly wrapped with stuffing.  I have then wrapped Christmas tree lights around this base.  The cord exits the body in the lower back.  Next I added stuffing which I needle sculpted into shape.  She was then 'skinned' with lightweight knit jersey.  Her hair is wool roving and wings made of layered tissue paper.  I would love to make another doll that lights up but with LED lighting and a battery pack.
She was also a challenge to photograph since she is so dark and also requires darkness to see her lights properly.  I have included several versions to highlight features.

"Interior View" fully lit

"Interior View" lit up with outside lighting as well





"Interior View" in a well lit room with flash

Close up of "Interior View"

Tiny Thermomorph Owl

 Every once in a while Amazon pops up with a recommendation that is hard to refuse.  That was the case with Thermomorph.  It sounded like a very versatile product and I was curious to explore it.  Thermomorph is made of small plastic granules that melt at a low temperature.  The tip in the second video of keeping my water warm in a crockpot was very useful.  Thermomorph begins to solidify very quickly and so if you are interested in sculpting with it you may want to use an additive method. Molds work very well with the product as seen in the first video.   I made my little owl (2 in tall) very quickly with my hands, using my nails and a straightened paperclip to give the impression of feathers and other details.  If it is solidifying too quickly, dip it back in the hot water for a bit. 
There are color additives that you can mix with the plastic but I opted to paint my little guy with a couple layers of acrylic paint. 
I tried a couple of other experiments as well, not photographed.  The thinnest I could work the product was to granule size, about 1/8 inch. I tried making a wing for a doll and found that it is too heavy to be practical and it frankly looked like a lumpy plastic sheet.  I am curious if it would make a good ball jointed doll--maybe if I had a mold.   

I found these Youtube videos useful

 

 

and