Stella the Maneater from Manayunk

As a little shout-out to Halloween, I happily dug up this little video! Oh what memories. Apparently Stella was from Manayunk, my home town, by way of South Philly. She had great cleavage and was super brave. Big shout out to Stella.....where ever your voluptous may be....

Also found this tid bit regarding Dr. Shock or Joe Zawislak, as people from the neighborhood knew him. I myself never saw Dr. Shock, but was regaled by tales of him & knew his house well. It sat on the tipy top of the Dupont St. Steps (see steps in Saturday Night Dead Opening) and had high lofty trees, spanning out over the hill, and there was room to move, unheard of in Manayunk. It was a single home with large windows & mysterious nooks and crannies on the porch. It was always a treat to see. Dr. Shock left behind many fans, one of which was my father, who turned up at one of my Aunt June's legendary Halloween Parties once, dressed in one of Dr. Shocks original designs. Apparently a friend of our family Jack, knew Dr. Shock well & had learned a few tricks from him, the result was astounding. My father was an unrecognizable wolf man, his face covered with fur....his brothers and sisters didn't even know him & he kept them going all night. I figured him out right away though, you see we have the same hands, even with the fur, I knew.

Happy Halloween. I have some crafties planned for the future, as well as Milo's Halloween Costume!!!

Human Clock

HUman Clock 2.JPG
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

While we were living at Zamek Brezina in the Czech Republic I insisted we put in an entry for the human clock website. In case your not farmilar with the Human Clock, it is a project started out to get photos of people to fill up the minutes of the day, each minute the photo changes. My original idea was to use the sheep at Brezina, painting a different number on each one and hope for the best. Well, the best has yet to come, those wiley sheep! Here is our submission.

works in progress

shelf
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

I had a few moments to myself this afternoon before work, so I decided to take some photos of my favorite shelf in the house. A shelf that only my own things appear on, which in this house is rare! I can't tell you how happy it makes me. I find that I like it to be constantly evolving with objects and crafts that inspire me most. Chris asked me the other day whether or not I knew the person in the photo & I said, "no, he's cute...I wish I had know him!" The little fuzzy rabbit bank makes me giggle & the color of the ribbon thrills me so.

On to the other delightful things that caught my eyes this gray afternoon, the ducky card, with the slogan, hope your feeling just ducky!
& a work in progress, the beginning of an apliqued baby quilt, which would be my first.
I was promised a morning alone to do some crafting on Saturday, I will keep my fingers crossed!

the steps

the steps
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

I let my feet graze the sidewalk bare
amongst the hidden & watchful hedge
felt your hand press upon my own, your pulled pockets worn teeth parting in the darkness
with insistence in the tangle of my hair
my feet stradling the stone,
keeping time with your rising breath
your thighs and my shoulders meeting, rocking

a train howling in the distance
marking the time of your late departure
when you'd rise like the kettle's call
& leave my feet and mouth to know this earth well
your evening ritual
where later I worked out a whole poem,
one of a scrap, a meal, a push
your broken nails & chipped teeth
that you did claim on my body

the Chris doll

the Chris doll
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

Hello, I would like you to meet the Chris Doll.
The Chris doll came to my husband about 8 years ago while working at the Goodwill on Cumberland Ave. in Portland while he was in college. The funny thing is, he looks like my husband. See photo:

Hence naming him the Chris doll, or as MIlo coined him "the Daddy doll"

For many years the Chris doll has been floating around naked. He did have a cape for a while, but than that got tucked away somewhere else after Milo wore it on his first Halloween when he was SuperMilo. It has been on my to-do list for many moons to make him some clothes. Just recently Milo has been playing with him. The other night before bed we were even putting some of Milo's pj's on him which were way to big. Thus I felt I must make him some clothes!

I have been collecting some old clothes of Chris' just for the job. Well last Friday, I finally got around to it. One pair of tan courdoroys, one pair of plaid pajama pants and one green shirt that Chris has asked for a larger version. & here his is, pimping large and loving it in boot cut low rise cords!

I would like to point out I have no much experience making clothes and have never before done it for a doll. It has been a fun experience & look forward to making more clothes for this cute guy, perhaps a berret and pea coat? A jaunty crochet scarf? We shall see!

Also would like to use this post to give a big shout out and congratulations to Jess and Kevin! WOO-HOO!!!! Welcome Elliott!

Our Lady of Czestochowa

olczsh
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

I am very fascinated with images of the Virgin Mary & this one in particular I love . The fact that she is Black just makes me giddy. About a year ago my mother-in-law found a print of this painting at a Catholic Thrift Shop....which reminded me of the time when I was in the 4th Grade at Saint Lucy's in Manayunk. The 4th, 5th & 6th graders all took a pilgrimage to

Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine in Doylestown, PA & if your feeling frisky check it out in Polish!
It was a gray rainy day when we drove the 1 hour to Doylestown & if memory serves me correctly, the Shrine sits on a big green grassy hill with nothing around it. It was odd & empty, modern & white with cathedral ceilings. At the center of the sparse alter was this painting. I think now it may have even been the original. Perhaps on a traveling expedition which brought our school to the shrine, I am not quite sure & I was unable to find an answer through their extensive website.
I remember walking through the courtyard as a child & than being struck by this image of the virgin. It reeled me on my 9 year old feet. Having digested so much of the "whiteness" of the church & the only browness coming from our collections containers at Advent.
I was amazed & happily so.

But why, dear readers do I recall this story for you now? Well doing some research on the Black Madonna I stumbled upon this little nugget, which I implore you to check out and be astounded.
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It makes me a little speechless, really..........

salvation fabrics

salvation army find, originally uploaded by zavodk.

At 2 for .99 cents who could resist. I absolutely love the pink and white checked that came complete with its original tag 1 1/2 yards of yumminess!
I look forward to what they will become.

a corner of my home....the sewing area

work area, originally uploaded by zavodk.

This is my sewing corner and in the past three months it has become my favorite part of our home. I get to display my works in progress & look at all the fun crafties and little notions of goodness, yayh!

It wasn't until recently that I really started to sew & it has been such a great outlet for my cloistered creativity. I am a poet by habit & have been since the age of 10, but since I had a baby 2 years ago my way with words has taken a vacation. Honestly I don't really think that I have the capacity to form a proper sentence half the time (which I do apologize dear blog readers) Working with something tactile has been really amazing & freeing. Making pretty things that are functional and fun has made me so elated.
I am also happy to put to good use the sewing machine my mother-in-law gave me 3 1/2 years ago (thanks Pat!)

saint lucy school-self portrait Tuesday

School Uniform, originally uploaded by zavodk.

One proud moment, last year in May, I fit into my 8th grade uniform. This is a photo of Milo and I from that moment.

10th Birthday Craft Love

gift for Tiffany's 10th Birthday, originally uploaded by zavodk.

My neice Tiffany's Birthday was August 15th & being perpetually belated, I just recently got her gift together. She is really into crafting with her mom, they even have a craft room with a chalk board wall in their new house. For a gift I thought crafting was an appropraite theme. On top of a Vintage Nancy Drew novel, I picked up some Sublime Stiching Patterns(dainty days & winter wonderland), jeweled colored embroidery floss, a hoop, one purple tape measure, Felt needle case (with needles) compliments of www.patternbee.com, muslin & 3 cloth napkins ready for embroidery & a doggie fabric card for the girl with the new dog. Also included but not pictured here, a pin with the slogan, "10 Year Olds Are Terrific" which I got for my 10th Birthday.
Ah, the memories of being ten. Bad hair, a wretched divorce & clouds. I remember so many clouds when I was 10. I have a feeling that 10 will be much better for Tiffany.

Jean & Deborah

Jean & Deborah, originally uploaded by zavodk.

Jean is my Grandmother, the one on the left.

What are the 4 main streets of Philadelphia?

My grandmother's bawdy joke would undoubtably make me a blog name.
For Jean Kahny (nee Muth) this one is for you!