Friday, October 31, 2008

Wings and a prayer



Sent H off to school with her giant wings. Had some last minute alterations using a sash from a black robe I never wear anymore. The wings are too big, she'll be knocking everything over, but she looks great! S is a caterpillar, at H's request, I'm feeling bad as her "costume" consists of striped pants, a green shirt some antenna and a big leaf with holes punched in it. Not the ultra glam giant sparkle wings of her older sister. And, for the record, the costume is cool enough, glittery enough and butterfly-y enough. According to the chaperon, the wings did not make it for the walk to the womens home. Just as well.

I am sore muscled and stiff from hanging the show last night. I haven't hung my own work in a long time- I can't decide if that makes me sound successful or like a prima dona. The truth is neither one, it just so happens that most shows of late have have someone besides me hanging them. Which is great as I hate hanging shows, almost as much as I hate taking slides of my work. Anyway- as hangings go, this wasn't so bad, there was help and an agreement to eyeball instead of measure. I did much grumbling that i must work smaller after straining myself and everyone helping out with my work that is so big. Must look into this apparent obsession I have with the huge lately. As they say, if you can't make it good make it big.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Scary madness

Its like this every day before Halloween. I don't prescribe to the store bought costume, probably because my mother didn't and shes passed down this gem along with the many others. What ends up happening, though is that the pieces I purchased in advance, complete with quiet smugness of being prepared early before the rush, while there are still things like butterfly wings available to purchase, while there's still time to order online and not pay double the cost of the item to have it shipped, all of a sudden, those things aren't good enough. Sparkly enough. Fancy enough. I panic at the idea of my daughter in the costume all the parents think is cool, but the kids are like huh? Whats that? while H tells me she likes it, secretly wishing i had just gone to the store like all the other moms and picked something off the rack. Just like I did when I was her age. Sure mom, I'm thrilled to wear these old curtains that kind of make me look like fish and walk in front of my little sister dressed as a farmer with a fishing pole attached to my head in the kiddie parade.

So today- first to one store to see if I can find a skirt that looks like something a butterfly might wear. No. So off to another store, where I found a black ballet skirt that will need jazzing up. Next back to the Halloween store where I got the way too big butterfly wings ages ago. I stood there deliberating for way too long- big wings? small wings? I went with the big wings- bigger is better, right? Not when your 4 yr old is walking with her class to a womens home to sing halloween songs in tight quarters. But now, or course, since tomorrow is Halloween there are no more wings, big or small. Its doubtful that H would have gone for the smaller wings anyway- she was flying around in the big ones last night (because of course I don't really try out the costume I've assembled so much in advance until a few days before its debut.. just to keep things interesting) yelling "butterfly toooo the rescuuuuue!!!" This is part of the reason I volunteered J to be a chaperon- so he can be on wing detail. He doesn't know this yet.

In addition to the Halloween scramble, I'm supposed to hang a show tonight. Do I know what I'm going to hang yet? Not really. Do I think I'll be able to think about it before I'm supposed to be down there ready to go? Not really. I have a literal laundry list to do between now and then which includes washing the peed on bed sheets for the 4th day in a row. Them are some clean sheets.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

is there room on this band wagon?

Well, thats what finally did it. The phrase "a couple bit." Its one of H's favorites, and it would be so sad if I forgot about it once it goes the way of the cute kid things.
"Mom, I need a couple bit more glitter"
in response to being told its bed time, "I'll just stay up a couple bit longer"
After hearing no seconds for ice cream. "Just a couple bit!"