HELLO DOLLY!

Jean shared copies of her Art of the Book group's paperdoll illustrations of the stanza's from Maya Angelou's Best Poem Ever (see the May 09 post)and we tried to guess which dolls matched which stanzas.

BOXED IN or OUT OF THE BOX???

We celebrated Debra's birthday with a special lunch and were treated to a recounting of Debra's birth by her mother, Jean. We lit a candle for the family and friends of a young man who had disappeared in the river. Rachel taught us how to fold paper boxes out of origami paper and we mass-produced several for her dreidl project.

MAYA ANGELOU'S BEST POEM EVER

We met at Rachel's and brainstormed packaging possibilities for her dreidl project, ate lunch, napped, and discussed Jean's Art of the Book club assignment. She was to "illustrate" three specific stanza's of the following poem by designing clothes for a standard paper doll figure. We enjoyed thinking about the poem and its relevance and/or applicability to our own lives.

MAYA ANGELOU'S BEST POEM EVER

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…..

Enough money within her control to move out

and rent a place of her own even if she never

wants it or needs to…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…..

Something perfect to wear if the employer or

date of her dreams wants to see Her in an hour…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…..

A youth she’s content to leave behind…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..

A past juicy enough that she’s looking

forward to retelling it in her Old Age…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…..

A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and

a black lace bra…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…..

One friend who always makes her laugh…..

and one Who lets her cry…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…..

A good piece of furniture not previously

owned by anyone else in her Family…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …..

Eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,

and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests

feel Honored…..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…..

A feeling of control over her destiny…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

How to fall in love without losing herself…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

How to quit a job; break up with a lover,

and comfort a friend without ruining the

friendship…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

When to try harder…..

and when to walk away…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

That she can’t change the length of her calves,

the width of her hips, or the nature of her

parents…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

That her childhood may not have been

perfect….But it’s over…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

What she would and wouldn’t do for love

or more…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

How to live alone…..

even if she doesn’t like it…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

Whom she can trust, Whom she can’t,

and why she shouldn’t take it personally…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

Where to go…..Be it to her best friend’s kitchen

table…..Or a charming inn in the woods…..

when her soul needs soothing…..

A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…..

What she can and can’t accomplish in a day…

a month…a year…..

JOLLY JUMPROPE JINGLES

jumping rope, sushi lunch, naptime, and making our own jumprope rhyme booklets

NEW MOON RECIPE FOR RADICAL RECREATION

five fabulous females
+ flipping, flying fiber fun
+ a faintly fishy flashy feast
+ a flat-out fortifying felinely flop
+ a fine-art folder-fabricating finale

Red Tent Beginnings 2006

Deirdre and friends gather and stitch

Our first hanging

Debra crashes after a great meal

Margaret and Rachel visit Goodwill and Salvation Army for just the right garb

Tie-dyed finery

2007 Images of the Red Tent

January 07
February 07

April 07

August 07