I thought it was an oyster.

Fried mystery meat., originally uploaded by Kristi Smart AKA ManicManx.

Wrong.

chitsaron bulaklak

What did I just eat? , originally uploaded by Kristi Smart AKA ManicManx.

The other day I walked into a Filipino grocery store and walked out with two fried lumps of mystery meat. I asked the woman what it was.
She said. "something from the pork"
"What part of the pork?"
"Hmmm. Something from the stomach." And she carefully cradled her hands under her abdomen. I thought perhaps it might be ovaries.
I ate the first one in the car. On the second one I realized I was eating almost solid fat. Nothing like fried fat with a side of fat.
When I bit into the chewy stringy parts I stopped eating and got out the camera.
Because of the stringy veined bits I now thought I was eating a testicle.
Pinupchick on etsy identified it as chitsaron bulaklak.

Im sure my cholesterol went through the roof. But it was fun and soooo tasty. So much for eating healthy this week.....

More fabric.

More fabric. , originally uploaded by Kristi Smart AKA ManicManx.

Once a year or so I pull all of my fabrics off the shelves. Its amazing how many pieces get stuffed behind something. I unearth forgotten treasures. Silks and velvets, Fabrics rich in texture and color. I sort and refold. I pile things according to color and potential projects. I place the accompanying trims on tops of bundles of inspiration and neatly tie them up with a selvage edge of something.
This year I got an email. "I need a coat in shades of gray that looks like a drowned pirate". I had been wanting to make a drowned pirate coat for a long time and could not convince those who want to look like the robber of the rich to go that route.
I had my bundle of gray with the ancient tattered lace waiting to be sewn up.
Perfect.

I love it when my dreams come true.

Organizing can be bad for your health.

I don't know whats going on with me. I have been organizing to the point where I feel its taking time away from actually making coats.
It has to do with my work environment. Everywhere I look I see things that need to be folded better, sticky noted or pinned to a wall.
I had spent two days pulling all my fabrics off the shelves, folding them and arranging them according to color, coordinates and possible projects. I found a box of unused plastic fruit containers. All my cones of thread went into them arranged by color. Today I pulled all my bags of cut out coats and vests. Every bag of cut garments has a sticky note pasted to the inside of the proper folder.
I guess this all needs to be done in order to work more efficiently. Its all part of having a business. Its just not really part of an artists brain.