get. get. going.

Flowers In A Mason Jar....heart

2011-03-10T15:59:00.000-11:00

Stitch Your Heart Out

2011-02-06T11:20:00.000-11:00

Some new things posted on my etsy store. It's been so long since I last posted, but I'm back for some stitching fun.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sewmealetter

Artifice//Artifact

2011-01-10T14:40:00.011-11:00

Inquiry into artifacts and photography as a medium to represent

facts or to construct them frame the theme of this exhibit. Pulling
from various interests and backgrounds, each artist presents a
freshly made narrative.

Join Cobalt in celebration of a new year and new work!

Cheers!

An image from part of the series:
"It Is What It Is"

This documentary series on trees studies their embodiment
of emotional attributes. Focusing on the form and stature
of particular trees, I sought to capture a portrayal of
elusiveness to sharing emotions.

(The series can be found at www.lindaprieto.com)

Richard

2010-09-29T09:54:00.001-11:00

I was overwhelmed with sadness when I heard the news yesterday. The last conversation I had with him was sometime last week when he was in his work clothes and hesitantly talked about going up the ladder to fix the side of his house. He past away on monday from a fall while fixing his roof. Richard lived next door to my parents and became a part of our family. He was estranged from his family and always spent the holidays with us and loved my nieces and nephew very much.

He always wore a cap, white shirt, and cuffed jeans. He had the gift of playing the piano and I always enjoyed hearing the music from the outside.

He will be missed.

Richard.

Banner!

2010-09-02T16:13:00.000-11:00

I was inspired by my great friend Monica to sew a banner!

She has one up in front of her house and I'll be using mine to decorate the table I will be sitting at, at the farmers market selling vegan goodies.

2010-07-25T02:58:00.000-11:00

now I can finish them off.

Pouches.

2010-07-12T10:13:00.002-11:00

Made from recycled fabric.
Just ordered some snap fasteners to finish them off. The fasteners are pretty much the only thing that is hard to find recycled, well at least interesting looking ones in bulk!

2010-05-20T16:56:00.003-11:00

I've put crocheting on hold. For a little bit. I'll be back soon.

Can't Draw A Heart Without A Heart

2010-05-04T05:55:00.002-11:00

A conversation with Gia.

Gia: "who called on the phone"

Tia: "a telemarketer"

Gia: "what is a telemarketer"

Tia: "someone who calls to try to sell us something we don't need"

Gia: "what did they try to sell you"

Tia: "a heart monitor"

Gia: "i don't have a heart. i need one"

Tia: "how does it feel to not have a heart"

Gia: "bad. feels sad. can't draw a heart without a heart"

Milwaukee.

2010-05-02T09:46:00.003-11:00

Port of Milwaukee

Two: A Romantic Hideaway for Couples

Meagan and Mike's Home

Breezy.

2010-04-30T19:02:00.000-11:00

Sewing Project.

2010-04-25T12:20:00.001-11:00

window garden

2010-04-15T11:42:00.001-11:00

Dill

Basil

Cinnamon Basil

Finished.

2010-04-14T16:24:00.000-11:00

One of the most uplifting projects to work on and I'm all done.

Self-Portrait - Part III

2010-03-31T16:57:00.000-11:00

Self-Portrait - Part II

2010-03-24T16:24:00.002-11:00

Self-Portrait - Part I

2010-03-23T16:55:00.005-11:00

This is a self-portrait in progress!!!
The assignment is to apply warm and cool colors.

2010-03-12T15:46:00.002-11:00

drawing on emotion...more like doodling, but always makes me feel a little better.

2010-02-28T05:40:00.001-11:00

Taita

2010-02-16T17:33:00.002-11:00

My father asked me to photograph him with his winter facial hair before he shaved it off. He grabbed his beret hat from his room and told me he is ready to take his Che Guevara picture.

That's my dad.

2010-02-14T15:00:00.000-11:00

7:30 A.M

2010-02-07T03:08:00.003-11:00

Sunday Morning.

I face the window when I wake up and noticed the soft morning sunlight creating shadows across the rooftops of the backyards view I have. It's better than having a side street filled with cars.

I opened the window and it was beautifully quiet.

No Wind.

Just the birds.

8:07 A.M

Half an hour later.

9:33 A.M

Having breakfast.

1:40 P.M

The clouds were interestingly parallel

Tea Everyday

2010-01-23T13:36:00.007-11:00

This is a project for Fun-A-Day, creating/doing something every day for the month of January. The show is in Philadelphia, but I procrastinated on sending it, so now it is for viewing in my room.
Tea Everyday was very appropriate for this month. The way they dry, stiffen, and give off color is very appealing. Displaying them as a time line functions as a record for the several reasons I drink tea.

Sweet.

2010-01-15T17:44:00.001-11:00

Pez. Toilet. Doll.

2010-01-13T14:29:00.002-11:00

Cabeza Cabeza

2009-11-03T17:09:00.000-11:00

Somewhere

Dinosaurs are people too

2009-10-07T13:04:00.001-11:00

the girls.

Finger Puppets

2009-09-29T06:46:00.000-11:00

St. Anthony School Reunion 2009

2009-09-29T01:22:00.002-11:00

I was very excited for this reunion to photograph the interior of the school. It's been over 20 years since I last was there, waiting in line for class, getting yelled at by nuns, and having fun with friends. I attended this Catholic school in the 80's from 1st through 4th grade and went off to a public school after that. A small reunion was briefly put together and interestingly classes from the 40's and 60's came. In 2011 there will be another reunion celebrating the schools 100th anniversary and to open the time capsule we buried.

Two people from my class made it to the reunion and it was great to see them. I felt that it is a perfect time in our lives to see each other again, as adults. The memories I have with them is braiding Maria's hair in Kindergarden and getting ready at her house for a school play as well as going to Yemina's house for a birthday celebration watching her family play loteria (first time I ever saw that).

more images found at : LindaPrieto.com

Ecuador 2009

2009-09-12T15:08:00.003-11:00

July was a month of transitioning:
I quit my job, left for Ecuador the day after my last work day, and two days after arriving from Ecuador I packed the rental car to move back home to Chicago. Definitely an emotional month of goodbyes or rather we'll see each other again....that's more of how I look to look at it, but most likely I will never see some people again.

Ecuador was amazing as always. I experience something new each visit and this time around my great friends Monica and Brian came with me. Although a short visit for them, I showed them as much as possible within a week visit and Brian made fun of my keeping on schedule with my itinerary! I like winging things but since I being their travel guide had one week to take them to the andes and the coast, I wanted to make sure they saw as much as possible to get a general idea of what life is like in Ecuador.
The majority of time we spent in the andes and just a couple of days on the coast laying out in the sun and walking through the sand on the beach.

The most memorable part of the trip was our hike through El Cajas National Park. Memorable in a sense that it exceeded our limit in hiking but regardless was a wonderful experience. Not even half way through our hike I strained my thigh. I slipped falling backwards in the mud as we made our way through a narrow path. To prevent my backside from landing into the mud I put my arms out and something happened. My left thigh strained so intensely that I needed help to lift myself up. From there on I had to take caution on how I landed on the uneven surfaces and dips in the land. There was one moment that I needed a couple of minutes to cry out the pain and let it ease. It hurt so much!

We hiked during a bad time. The surface was extremely muddy and had to take alternative routes for paths that were not walkable.

Along our hike we saw a rare hummingbird, wolf feces, picked tipo leaves that are used for tea and is considered mother natures aspirin.

Exhausted by this point, I felt a thrill of excitement to climb through the forest. My favorite part of the hike.

Here is the face that always has me coming back. We spent two short days with my aunt, my father's sister. The interaction between Monica, Brian and my aunt was priceless.

Images from my documentary project about my family in Ecuador and the U.S can be see at : LindaPrieto.com

Garden Greens, Yellows, Oranges, and Reds

2009-09-12T14:11:00.001-11:00

A cosechar:

Bruno

2009-06-03T05:28:00.007-11:00

I think Bruno would be a good name for the kitten found in south philly: south philly italian cat.
A late night of drinking tea and making two new friends, My co-worker Alex and I left our other co-worker Ty's house and made our way up broad street so that he can catch a trolley back to west philly and I catch the train back to south Jersey. It's a funny story because none of this would have happened if Alex didn't need a hot shower.
We came across a long bar connecting to a tree and when I looked up, the cutest face meowed. The police left it there so the kitty would come down on it's own, but we were determined to help him down. After several attempts to lure the kitten down, he just wouldn't budge. So, Alex climbed the unsteady bar and as it began to bow, hoped for the best for it not to snap. He made it to the top grabbed the kitten and threw him down to me. I didn't quite catch the kitty but at least broke it's fall. It was the funniest thing to see the cat being dropped down and all his claws out. He made it down safely with just a couple small scratches on me. So afraid and not knowing where to go I was able to grab him so that Alex can take him back to his home. We stopped and got some food and water for the kitty and after that he was comfortable and trusted us.
We walked and stopped and walked. There was a cute moment of the kitty walking on our shoulders going back and forth from Alex and I just showing it's love and purring.

So sweet.

Ecuador and Friends

2009-05-22T06:08:00.003-11:00

In between the date set to leave Philadelphia, which was sometime mid July, I decided to visit my family in Ecuador. It's been about three years since my last visit and I've been thinking about my one aunt, a lot, and felt that it was the perfect time to go. She lives in my grandparents house and is the only one who stayed in the area where their life began. She takes care of the house and farm and lives a very simple life with a crazy guard dog, that broke it's leash while trying to attack me in my last visit. I wonder if she still has him or a new vicious dog.
This time around traveling to Ecuador is different. I am bringing Monica and Brian with me. I am thrilled to show friends what I've talked about and photographed. Unfortunately their trip is short, but we'll be traveling to and from the Andes, visiting my family, hiking through a national park, as well as the coast, whale watching and visiting La Isla de Plata, also know as the poor man's galapagos, and more family.
That is the plan. We leave July 7th.
I stay an extra week and will be spending time with my family. A couple days after I return from Ecaudor, I'll make my way back home to the midwest.

Double Exposure

2009-02-26T13:19:00.002-11:00

My camera has been acting weird lately.

Making Roses

2009-01-26T16:49:00.003-11:00

Complaint Choirs of the World

2009-01-25T15:50:00.002-11:00

----->Complaints Here

The In Between

2009-01-12T06:25:00.002-11:00

2008-12-24T12:22:00.003-11:00

Worlds Largest Pinata!

2008-11-06T11:50:00.003-11:00

Amazing. About four stories tall.

There were some technical difficulties, so they didnt explode the thing.

Some Things I like To Collect

2008-10-26T09:50:00.005-11:00

found at flea markests:

Falcon

2008-10-21T15:56:00.006-11:00

In Rittenhouse Square park: Falcon eating a pigeon

Coney Island

2008-09-02T16:23:00.005-11:00

2008-09-01T15:10:00.000-11:00

2008-07-14T15:35:00.000-11:00

Life

2008-07-12T10:48:00.008-11:00

My sister called me to tell me the news about Hattie passing away July 1st. She was a wonderful women who loved children and opened her home to educate young ones. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the memorial mass for her. She definitely left a mark in our lives.
When I was a kid, about seven/eight, Hattie lived down the block from us and my brother, sister and I would all go to her house to bake and play piano. That was about twenty years ago and she lived to be ninety one. I am ever so grateful for her existence. I remember being inside her house and loving the process of baking and kitchen equipment involved in making them, sitting at her piano, the lighting and smell of her home.
She was amazing.
I thought about her in my last visit about two weeks ago, when I showed Monica and Brian where I used to live and mentioned Hatii to them, though she wasn't living there anymore and hasn't been for a while ever since she grew ill and her family took her to stay with them.

Thank you, Hattie.

Jerz Shore

2008-07-04T16:06:00.006-11:00

Nina

2008-07-01T15:53:00.003-11:00

my niece.

My grandfather, Manuel Prieto

2008-06-20T13:01:00.007-11:00

My father's dad

2008-06-19T13:53:00.003-11:00

2008-06-08T05:43:00.003-11:00

My favorite people in the world are the elderly. So far my friendships here are either over the age of sixty or under the age of five (the kids at the laundromat are entertaining). There is this woman I visit every so often at this antique shop. I like hearing her stories and having her call me dear. Mabey I am attracted to having relationships with older people because I never met my grandparents and have some psychological need for that comfort. ha! I don't know. I just think about aging, in good way, and just feel the need to talk to these people because they hold so much history.
I met Helen at a flea market. I bought fabric from her and gave her lemon cookies that I made at school earlier in the day. She is from Germany and has traveled the U.S. participating in flea market events. Though, she doesn't do that as often now. You just have to hear her talk and you will love her too.
There was this other woman I wanted to photograph, but she wouldn't let me so I photographed what she was selling. I bought some old photographs from her before and found her interesting, but she is camera shy and didnt want her picture to end up some where, like my blog!

Leave You Here

2008-05-30T15:10:00.003-11:00

The Amazon.

Seriously

2008-05-10T12:19:00.009-11:00

Beaulah is such a sweet dog. Monica and Brian adopted her in Colorado when they went on a cross country trip in their 1970's van. They stopped in Chicago and hung out with me for a bit and that's when I first met Brian, before they were married. I think that was about three years ago.

Monica is easily startled, it's great.

Flea Market

2008-05-04T03:59:00.007-11:00

Just what I was waiting for..

In Chicago, I would always go with my father to flea markets on sunday. There were a few we would go to off of Grand/Cicero and Ashland/40th. The main one was the Canal Street Market...though before that it was the Maxwell Street Market. We wouldn't necessarily buy anything, but it was more of just being out around people. My dad loves being around people and talking to strangers but he never liked going alone...so I was his companion.

Humitas

2008-05-01T13:02:00.002-11:00

Stop Motion

2008-04-21T17:05:00.003-11:00

My two favorite people in the world.
Monica and Brian helping me with stop motion as I played with my new flash.

This is actually a few months old, when it was still cold and none of us wanted to leave the house... I am fortunate to live with these great people and beaulah the dog with her delayed barks when someone comes home.

Le Pizza

2008-04-14T16:02:00.006-11:00

Aaah. The best part of school is eating what we make. We made about five different types of bread this past Saturday and finished off with a yummy vegetable pizza.

and there I am.

The Linda Door

2008-04-13T05:10:00.004-11:00

This small door (about 5 ft.) is in a West Philadelphia apartment and notice the smaller door inside the already small door. Perfect!!

Aaaah Mmmm Falafel

2008-04-02T16:24:00.006-11:00

Adding onto the list of what my stomach loves

The Bottom Half

2008-03-23T02:54:00.008-11:00

Socializing Legs

An event was thrown at the laundromat I work at for the owner's 50th birthday. Throughout the laundromat/gallery, art work is displayed, including a few of mine.

A band also played.

Due To The Weather...

2008-03-08T15:55:00.003-11:00

I was unable to take the train in the evening to Philadelphia, from Collingswood, NJ . I waited in the station with my bike for an hour and a half hoping the train would pass, but every ten minutes there was an announcement of no service. I had a ticket to see Jose Gonzalez at the Word Cafe Live. I bought the ticket last minute and was excited to go see him since he doesn't tour the U.S often, I think. The wind was terribly strong, blowing open the doors and slamming them shut. I moved to the other side of the station where the wind was blowing the opposite direction.....I decided to leave home to work on a drawing for my practical on Friday to create a design for a cake.
Well, I did get a bike earlier in the day while it was pouring rain:

Brian kindly took me to pick it up thirty minutes south of where we live in Jersey.

Morning Light

2008-01-26T13:18:00.000-11:00

I don't have the answer

2008-01-20T16:50:00.002-11:00

I work sunday nights at a laundromat (www.10thstreetlaundromat.com) and come across people with a variety of requests, complaints, questions and the best part tips for washing and folding laundry. I wear gloves, of course!
The best tip so far has been pizza. This guys usually doesn't tip, so I was happy to receive pizza.

Plenty of complaints about the washer or dryers taking change.
Vending machine not giving correct change back.
Had to yell at a guy with a small boom box selling music and playing it loudly.
Request to teach someone english.
More complaints from a woman with large hands threatening to go to another laundromat because her clothes take too long to dry.
Questions about why lint forms on clothing and why certain spotting of discoloration occur??

Holiday Yum

2007-12-24T13:35:00.003-11:00

19th Floor View of the City

2007-12-08T12:34:00.003-11:00

From the office I work in during the week.

Anthony Bourdain, Spices, and Cheese

2007-12-01T12:23:00.000-11:00

Brian and I went to the Free Public Library to listen to Anthony Bourdain read from his book and answer questions from the audience. When we got there, there was a projection of him on a screen, but no physical Anthony. He was some where in the Library but we couldnt figure out where. It was kind of hard to listen to because of the sound echoing in the library and I got tired of looking at the back of people's heads.
It was fun just to be there.
He finished speaking and we left to buy spices in the Italian Market.
I bought a bag of cinnamon...smells so good, rice, and corn flour to eventually make humitas.

Cheese!

We ate a great bagel

Motivation of the Day

2007-12-01T11:28:00.001-11:00

I am dreaming about Europe right now, thinking about all the amazing architecture and art. I have a friend in Germany that sends me pictures and I am happy about that because it keeps me motivated about the beauty of life every where. These are a few of her pictures.
Gracias Isabel:

Casa. Casita. Home

2007-11-21T14:43:00.001-11:00

thinking about the little faces back home

Spiders and Parrots

2007-11-20T12:09:00.000-11:00

Strange dream.
I was in my parents house and I kept finding spider webs with these large spiders that are from ecuador. I was so worried about the infestation and was concerned about how to get rid of them. Even though I know they are harmless, in my dream I was freaked out by them. In the living room, I found another corner with a large ball in the web and a couple of new born spiders. A few seconds later when I looked at the spider web, there were tiny parrots about an inch tall munching on the spiders and by the second started to grow about half my body size. One flew away, bright blue and I was excited to know that our spider problem will be solved and that my dad will be happy to have a parrot in the house, because he loves parrots.

This is what the spiders looked like. I took this picture in Ecuador. They look very intimidating, but apparently are harmless.

Halloween

2007-10-29T09:40:00.000-11:00

Monica has the best costume ideas.

School Portraits on the go.

Morning Rain, Dark Night

2007-10-22T12:20:00.000-11:00

October 18.
Moving Day.

Happy to arrive after thirteen hours of being in a car.
Hungry.
Sleepy.
Somewhere else.
New Jersey.

Hand Motion

2007-10-11T16:10:00.000-11:00

Watching Likalee sing a song with her hands reminded me of this little girl that I met while staying with my cousin, Ana Maria, in Quito, Ecuador last year. I do not remember her name.
For the few days that I stayed with Ana Maria I helped this young girl with sign language and with the pronunciation of words. Not that I know sign language, but we worked off of a booklet she had. I learned some sign language in grade school and remember most of the alphabet and how to sign apple. That's it!

She didnt recieve an education until my cousin insisted her live in maid bring her daughter to live with them and put her in school. She lived in a small town off the coast of Ecuador with her grandmother neglecting an eduation because of her deafness.
She is a happy girl. Smiles more when she is not around her mother.

A ceremony takes place at her school.

A Day To Look Forward To

2007-09-05T13:18:00.000-11:00

October Fourth Two Thousand Seven - Chicago
When I visited my friend Jacqui in San Francisco she gave me some music and Jose Gonzalez was on the list of music I recieved.

José González - Down The Line

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Estate Sales

2007-09-01T14:40:00.000-11:00

I love finding old photo albums or pictures of people from the 1920's, 50. It's amazing to go into a home and go through the bedrooms, attics, basement, kitchen-love the kitchen (I have been collecting cupcake pans and measuring cups/spoons).
People are just scurrying throughout the house with small red baskets and making comments about how bad the basement smells. Smells like a moist basement to me. What's new.
I lucked out on an album I had my eye on. I returned to a sale the next day, for half off, to purchase an amazing album filled with b/w everyday images of people, but someone already bought it before I got there.

I did purchase this great photograph of children from the 20's. There are some amazing expressions and awesome hair cuts.

Over Seas

2007-08-28T17:12:00.000-11:00

so happy i found this image. it was on a zip disk from when i took digital one in college. i completely forgot about this image and it brought back great memories of visiting spain and my cousins in madrid. i met them for the first time in the summer of 2002. four sisters out of seven of them (one brother) immigrated to spain from ecuador.
this is my cousin's son, frank.

Documentary

2007-08-21T15:29:00.000-11:00

This is an amazing documentary about the most violent indigenous people in ecuador and the lives of five missionaries that were lost.

"Beyond the Gates of Splendor"

California Dreaming

2007-08-15T10:29:00.000-11:00

A week long of California. Four days in San Franicsco and four days in Venice Beach (L.A). Stayed with Jacqui in San Francisco eating veggie meals, learning new recipes, watching movies, and hanging out on the roof top of her apartment. This trip was about doing nothing and just relaxing and catching up with old friends. In L.A. I stayed with a high school friend, Manny!, who lives a few blocks from the beach. Couldnt have picked a better place to crash. It's been a couple of years since I last saw him and he has some sweet curls on his head. Shortly after arriving I took his bike for a ride to Venice Beach to lay out and people watch. I pretty much did that for the following three days until the day before I returned home.
I'd have to say that my mind was pretty clear and that was great.
Two of the best things to see was a skater boy magician and a fellow who made designs from a solar powerd sewing machine. I'm a fool for magic and men that sew.

Finn!

This is where I spotted the magic show

I had a fun time watching people skate board.

A Treasure, Indeed

2007-06-19T06:03:00.000-11:00

I found a box of processed B/W negative from the 1940's at an estate sale. I was so excited and managed to scan a few.
There is a story.
Travelers.

taking a picture

2007-06-19T04:51:00.000-11:00

My neice took a great picture.
After several images of her eye because she had the digital camera backwards she managed to create some nice compositions.
Nina is two and a half. And. Trouble.