Bokchito, Oklahoma

In past posts, I have told you that I was born at Bokchito, Oklahoma, and that is a Choctaw word meaning "Deep Creek". I belong to a group and someone asked me about the Choctaw People. That is my inspiration for this post today.

I have an artist friend that I met at the Red Earth Festival held every year in June at Oklahoma City. She is a wonderful artist and did the illustrations in this book,Crossing Bok Chitto. Here is a site that briefly describes the book.



http://www.rorex-art.com/book.htm


Needless to say, we had a great conversation regarding the irony of her book and my being Choctaw, born in the town, named by Choctaws, when they were removed to Indian Territory. I bought her book and she had me make her some special designed moccasins. I was so pleased to received this note from her.

Many Feathers Store

What do I talk about today? I have been thinking and my mind wandered onto my space at Sunset Center Art Mall.
http://www.amarilloartists.com/5.html
I was very flattered to be invited by the artists to have a space in their gallery. I signed a 6-month lease and went to work opening my little store I called "Many Feathers". Here are some pictures of my space:

My Front Door




Looking through my front window:




Won’t you please have a seat...can I get you a cup of coffee?:




My jewelry case - I haven’t finished filling:




Entry to Sunset Art Center:




Some of my neighbors:










Each artist was responsible for decorating their own little store and I would like to say that each was cleverly done. I kept my store open for the 6-month lease period. It was then I made the decision to again retire and work only from my eBay store. I loved all of the wonderful artists I met and have remained friends with them all.

American Indian Cultural Center

When I think about what I’m going to write about each day, I kinda let my mind wonder and choose the subject. Today, my mind went to the American Indian Cultural Center. Canon and Hewlett Packard paid me for the use of my patent for printing to fabric, and with part of that money, I started the AICC.



I leased a 3000 sq. ft. space in Sunset Shopping Center that was being used for storage. I had lots of help with the Center as there were registered Native Americans from 38 different tribes. Here are some pictures of the Cultural Center which officially opened in 1998.




Front entry



My tepee prototype. The poles had to be cut short to fit under the ceiling. This tepee now belongs to the Heritage Museum. Later I made 3 more tepees. Several of us women practiced until we could erect a tepee in 30 minutes.




Lounge Area. Health approved kitchen through door where tree is painted on wall.



Meeting area:



Display case:



Talking Leaves Library:



Dance area:



Trading Post:



Skookum Doll display:



Quilting Circle:





To tell you a little about the American Indian Cultural Center: we were open 6 days a week from 9 am until 6 pm. Every Tuesday and Thursday, the Quilt Circle met and worked on quilts that were listed for sale on eBay. This started my journey on eBay. We had a state health-approved kitchen and often prepared meals and food for pow wows and performances of the Kwahadi Dancers.


We had a library we called “Talking Leaves” because long ago, Indians called books talking leaves. In the library, Edwina helped people search their Indian heritage. In the secure display case, we had monthly themes and changed the displays. We were so pleased that Panhandle Plains Museum trusted us with some of their valuable items for display after testing for humidity and lighting.


In the Trading Post, various artists displayed and sold their creations, which not only helped the artists, but a small percentage helped pay the rent. We hosted several pow wows and Kwahadi Dancers performances. When the AICC closed, the Kwahadi Heritage carried on with the opening of their beautiful museum:

Texas Commission on Indian Affairs

I told you that I would be going back and forth in time. I decided to tell you that I was greatly honored to be appointed as a Commissioner of Indian Affairs by Governor Bill Clements. My commission expired in 1995. Here is my certificate which I have hanging in my bedroom.

February 10, 2008

Needless to say, I got sidetracked, so I am already behind with my resolution. I have decided that I will mix the past with some of my present endeavors. So, occasionally, I will post some things that happened in my past.


I have recently been adding new things in my store. I search for and purchase antique storybooks, old greeting cards, and anything to make into storybook quilts. There are books on tape, books on video, and now there are Books on Quilts.


I never reproduce copyrighted items that I don’t have permission to. Anything copyrighted prior to 1923 belongs to the domain and is free to use. Here are some old story books and greeting cards that I have reproduced into quilt blocks.



Christmas: one book AROUND THE WORLD WITH SANTA was copyrighted in 1891; the other NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS was copyrighted in 1922:




I just love Christmas time and when I read these old books, I wondered how many time they had been read through their long years.




Valentine:







Easter:







St. Patrick’s Day:

Back In Time

When I started my blog, my thoughts were on my latest obsession, which was ACEO cards. I am going to backtrack to the year 1980 and fill in some gaps. Because my husband’s business was drilling for oil, I lived in a small, sleepy town, Spearman, in the panhandle of Texas-the flashing star.







Even though I had five children, I was a bored housewife and my busy husband, to pacify me, allowed me to do what I wanted to. My first project was to restore and receive historical markers on two old buildings, which were the only two buildings left of the original town. The town of Spearman had been moved to a new location when the railroad was built in 1898. These old building had basically become wino flophouses. I opened businesses in each of these old buildings - one was Saks 3rd Ave., and the other the Bulls’ Inn.









My plans are to add to my blog daily.

Late Resolution

I have been extremely busy updating and adding new things in my eBay store. Although January 1st is long passed, I decided I have neglected my blog long enough and my new resolution is to start adding to my blog. So, for now...I will just add this comment and tell you to stay tuned.