Month: July 2014

Colette Patterns Moneta. Testing the waist.

After the Mabel disaster, I began my Moneta project by tracing a few inches of waist from the front and back bodice in both L and XL sizes.  
As usual, I fall right between L an XL on the size chart (why is there a gap?) except for my waist which skewed all the way to the top edge of XL.  After tracing my mini-test pattern, I then cut strips of material from my main material, after first checking that it was an area of “extra” material.  Then it was a matter of sewing them together and trying them on to see which one fit.  Knowing that the XL was a much better fit than L gave me the confidence to continue on with the project.

Three sentence movie reviews: Bringing Up Baby.

Part of the Ruby Oliver Film Festival.

Amusing throughout, but I couldn’t help but feel annoyed at Katherine Hepburn’s character.  Full of lots of zany hijinks that make this a good family-friendly film.  I think my favorite line came from Aunt Elizabeth:  “I’ve always wanted a leopard!”*

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/1938/bringing_up_baby.html

*Really?  Times sure have changed.

Thursday walk to work. sneaky edition.

I love me an alley in the daylight.  Here are some discarded flowers to add to that alley sense.

Blackberries looming.

Blackberries getting their close-up.

There are still a goodly amount of unpaved streets in Portland.  Will that ever get fixed?

Greenery and laundry.

For a long time there were skinny houses being built everywhere.  Now?  Tall apartment complexes.

Across the street from the soon-to-be tall apartment complex, we find the typical mid-century apartment complex.

Squirrel feeder.

Interesting roof.

I wonder if Karen and Simone love each other?  Or maybe Karen or Simone’s significant others were into a sort of one-up thing?

I’ve always wondered what’s up with this business on Interstate. Not enough to do any research, though.

I stared at this for a long time before I figured out that it was broken glass with cardboard blocking the hole. It sort of looked like the mirror surface had peeled off the window.  

Because I’m a child of the 80s, my first thought upon seeing this poster was, “Corey Haim?”

Nice beetle.

I’ve noticed this punk look a lot this summer.  Shaved for a mohawk, brightly colored, not in stand-up mohawk form.

Three sentence movie reviews: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Part of the Ruby Oliver Film Festival

This looked dumb, but it was on the list and so I watched it.  I’m a fan of both of the leads in this motion picture, so I had that going for me, but even so, I was pleasantly surprised to greatly enjoy this movie.  It had a good blend of comic and tender moments.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2003/how_to_lose_a_guy_in_ten_days.html

Postcard from China

Aside from the fact that this is a Christian Church, I can’t tell much about this postcard and the descriptors on the back are all in Chinese. 

Look at these stamps!  (Placed in the lower left-hand corner.  The address was on the left side too.)

My observation of the many postcards I’ve received from countries with character-type (as opposed to letter-type) languages is that the handwriting is beautiful, not at all like the scrawl that comes out the the US and Europe.  I wonder if languages with characters require a greater attention to detail?
One postcrosser even wrote in her profile a plea to please write neatly.  

Thursday walk to work Yard/Garden Edition.

I love how squash in a parking strip sprawls all over the place.

These are new builds (probably replacing smaller houses, though I don’t know for sure) that I approve of, just because they don’t look like every other piece of new construction in this city.  The one on the left (the orange one) was featured in the paper once upon a time.  The gentlemen who own the house are both over 6 feet, so everything in the house is sized to them.  Which means I won’t be purchasing that house.

Squash and corn in parking strip.

When lettuce bolts it reminds me of Christmas trees.

Nice setup.

This tiny backyard house has always intrigued me.

Sunflowers in driveway divider.

Beds ready to go.

I love how nasturtiums turn into mounds.

One of the poetry posts. Here is a link to the poem by Jane Hirshfield.

Great address font.

Onions are getting ready to be harvested.

Good mid-century detail with modern flair.  Don’t you just love that bright green door?

Here’s an unusual house. Pink stucco and very square with flat roof. It’s at 1644 N. Emerson and I fear it’s probably not long for this world.  It’s empty, the lawn hasn’t been mowed and the fence is chained shut.  A quick look at Portland Maps tells me the property taxes are paid up though, so it’s not in foreclosure.  Maybe it is just waiting for a new tenant. Although I wouldn’t be surprised to find it torn down.

Rain garden.

Cute Victorian.

Detail of cute Victorian.

Homemade disk golf holes.

I’m headed for the Broadway Bridge, but it will take a lot longer than 12 minutes to get there on foot.

Someday I’m going to go to this.  It’s $3.00! How many dance classes are $3.00?  Not many, I can tell you.

Ainsworth Wine and Gifts is going out of business.

Here’s my mid-walk bathroom stop.

These are new leaning benches.  They came about because regular benches make some sidewalks not ADA accessible and also Trimet wanted to sell more ads.

Good collection of stickers.

Beautiful sky.

Jayda gets some love.

Really good bike seat covers.
And so ends my walk.

Three sentence movie reviews: Addicted to Love

Part of the Ruby Oliver Film Festival

This movie was bizarre, mostly because the main characters were doing really horrible things* that in real life you would be suing if you found out someone was doing to you.  So I guess good that they found each other, freaky weirdos.  Also, as a side note, for years I’ve seen this cover and guessed that Meg Ryan was a cheerleader, based on the tank top she’s wearing on the cover.**

Cost:  free from library
Where watched: at home

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/1997/addicted_to_love_ver1.html

*Spying on ex-partners, bugging the apartment, plotting to break them up.  Though the camera obscura did lend a nice touch to their stalking.
**Spoiler alert, she’s not.  It’s just a very cheerlead-y looking top.