Quixotic Designs

my favorite thing today.

2010-03-14T11:34:00.001-07:00

You've gotta read the story.
{click here}

my favorite wedding ever.

2010-03-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

{Click Here}
{and here}

another. awesome. video.

2010-03-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

Via Wired.com

Videos.

2010-03-02T08:57:00.001-08:00

Loving...

TheHead / hand-drawn animated short from parquerama on Vimeo.

And...

Adobe Photoshop Cook from Lait Noir on Vimeo.

Hello Josiah!

2010-03-01T09:59:00.001-08:00

Uncle Luke...

still motion video

2010-03-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

This morning everyone is buzzing about lost things...

And while it is pretty awesome, the kindle ad remains my favorite.

Welcome to the world, baby!

2010-02-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

Monday marked the arrival of a little someone special in my life:
my new nephew, Josiah James.

pothole gardens and other great things...

2010-02-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

There are so many amazing social projects and movements going on these days - - guerrilla gardening, urban farming, etc...

Recently I had a conversation with a fella attempting an experimental writing project in which he left a number of journals around his city with a request that finders write a page in the journal continuing the story, leave the journal somewhere other than where they found it, and send a little line to a site he created to track the movement of the journal. So. Cool.

It sort of reminded me of Kacie Kinzer's "tweenbots" experiment in Central Park.

Read more about it {here}.

Today I heard about Pete Dungey's "pothole gardening" project in Britain. The idea is to bring attention to "the problem of surface imperfections on Britain's roads". After our recent visit, Luke and I could probably both agree that this project would be incredible in Durham, North Carolina where the roads are sporting numerous llama-sized potholes.

Explaining the project Pete Dungey has said, "If we planted one of those in every hole, it would be like a forest in the road." I'm tempted to find a pothole near my own home and participate in expanding the project... you should too. ;)

funny... pathetic.... enraging... bizzare...

2010-02-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

READ IT.

why haven't I thought of this before?

2010-02-06T11:45:00.001-08:00

So, I have a serious affliction. I download and save photos from the internet all.the.time. That, however, is the cause of the problem and not the problem itself. You see, with all these wonderfully inspiring, funny, bizzare, or otherwise interesting photos on my computer I've found it difficult to keep track of things. If only there were a way to organize them with search-able tags... oh, wait, what? iphoto can do that? Huh? Why haven't I thought of this before??

cute.

2010-02-05T09:28:00.001-08:00

{found this over at Snippet and Ink this morning}

it is pretty much the cutest thing I've seen all week

today I feel like a stalker.

2010-02-04T17:57:00.001-08:00

Actually, this has been with me all week.
Stalking my email.
Stalking the mailbox.
Stalking the front door waiting for the UPS man to leave a package...

Yulia Brodskaya.

2010-02-04T12:35:00.000-08:00

Yulia Brodskaya is Ahh-mazing!
{click here to check out her other stuff!}

wouldn't it be fun

2010-02-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

To move into a new house with big wooden doors...

{photo found here}

and with beautiful globe lighting above the kitchen table...

{photo found here}

It might have a huge walk in shower...

{photo found here}

And grecco-style dumbells so that working out could become "mythic"...

{found here}

The master closet might be totally chic...

{photo found here}

And the desk might have incredibly unique accessories...

{found here}

Someday the extra bedroom might get re-done in anticipation of a new resident...

{photo found here}

And in the meantime our family and friends could open their mailbox to find a sweet little announcement of our move into the new house with big wooden doors...

{photo found here}

kitchen love.

2010-02-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

{found here}

Small space awesome-ness: a library style kitchen.

biscuits and tea...

2010-01-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

Sophisticated tea:

{from the dieline}

Fun tea:

{from the dieline}

And a little something delectable:

{from the dieline}

"Take your taste buds somewhere scrumptious."

let there be light

2010-01-26T22:56:00.000-08:00

I love these.

things I'm loving from around the bloggosphere

2010-01-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

Seriously one of the cutest Christmas photoshoots I've ever seen!
{click here} to see the rest of the pictures!
I think this chalkboard background
would be nice for a DIY "faux-tobooth" too

Personalized Stationary for a very hip Grandma
{known by all the kids as Grandma Latté}
via alee and press

Super cute pincushion
sold at TheBlueDaisy on Etsy

"French" Goodness
I have yet to make these but they look de.lic.ious.
{See the recipe here}

Sweetest. Tattoo. Ever.
Read the *short* story {here}

This great wooden headboard
found at Say Yes! to Hoboken

Backyard fun

Oh the joys of Brooklyn (as opposed to Manhattan)
Say Yes to Hoboken via Little Green Notebook
{I'm loving that Pottery Barn kitchen set in the playhouse too!}

Vintage Wall Art
- - hearts made out of ticket stubs - -
Blue Bell Bazaar via A Little Sussy

Cute little bunting crayon roll
{see the tutorial here}

something new

2010-01-13T14:31:00.001-08:00

I recently stumbled across a new (to me) blog
run by Jeanie of The Paper Nut.

I found quite a few cute things lurking throughout her archives...

Her brilliantly fun lettering:

{click it to enlarge the letter-goodness}

{Paper Nut Letters found here here and here}

My favorite among her wedding invitation suites:

{Great Wedding Suite by The Paper Nut}

The most awesome pair of girls pants I've ever seen!

{Crankypants on Etsy}

Some fantastic wooden finds...

{Plastica}

And, last but not least, something kind of weird that I kind of like...

{Little felt toys from AsherJasper on Etsy}

my imaginary home: details, details, details!

2010-01-07T11:26:00.001-08:00

There is nothing I love more than unexpected touches throughout a home.
Molding, carving, engraving; beautiful tiles, door knobs, outlet covers...
There are so many fantastically understated elegances possible.

One of my favorite little somethings about the house I grew up in
was the cut glass window-in-a-wall right above the doorway
between my bedroom and the connected bathroom.
It was incredible. So detailed and spectacular yet totally understated.

There were a lot of things I loved about that house.

My mom called me up the other day
to say that it is on the market once again.
The folks who bought it from us intended all along
to "fix it up" and shoot for a profit.

Looking at the listing
literally brought tears to my eyes and blow to the heart.

Almost everything I love most about the house they changed.
The ceiling to floor, wall to wall mirrors - - gone.
The enormous gold chandelier in the entry way - - gone.
The stairway railing - - changed.
The unusual kitchen flooring - - changed.

I guess beautiful design and decor really is in the eye of the beholder.

{like that hallway arch via Cup of Jo}

{I adore pretty molding - - aren't those stairs fantastic?! via D,D,&D}

{love those doors! via D,D,&D}

{awesome... and kind of dangerous via tumblr.}

{ok. maybe not just for my imaginary home. Those spiky globes are cool! via tumblr}

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

{photo via tumblr}

Wow. Here we are almost a full week in to 2010.

Hard. to. believe.*
* how much things are going to change
* how much I've got to do
* how much worrying I've done
* how excited I am
Hard. to. believe.

It is also hard to believe the *BANG*
with which this new year, and this last quarter at UW, has begun.
On my way to French 202 on the first day of the quarter (Monday)
an oblivious stranger
did me the favor of jamming a heavy wooden door into my big right toe.
OUCH. Turns out, I have wimpy toes
(or else said stranger was the Hulk in disguise)
because the entirety of my toe nail + some turned DARK blueberry
and the tip, sides, and bottom of the end bruised black.

{my toe a few hours in. sadly, it got much worse.
See that normal looking skin at the tip?
it turned black by sundown Monday night.}

It hurt. BAD. And I cried.
24 hours later I broke down and went to Hall Health.
Upon arrive I received a few 5x7 glossies of my bones
and then had a hole drilled...err burned... through my toe nail.

But you know what?
I've got a feeling
2010 is going to be a good year!*

And, to start the year off right I've decided to de-clutter my desktop
(because de-cluttering my real desk is going to take more than an hour)
and make it pretty once again
(because I'm happier when my surroundings are colorful!).

{my computer. click it to enlarge!}

My philosopher thinks it is "silly"
but I LLLLOOOOOVEEEE customizing my computer.
What I didn't know until today
was how to customize all the various icons.
I'm so excited. Now, every time I open up an application
I can't help but smile.
{Those of you with macs should try it!!}

bah bah black sheep.

2009-11-18T02:01:00.000-08:00

{found on Tumblr}

I hate to admit it but I kind of like this.

fishing for trouble

2009-11-18T00:06:00.000-08:00

my Mac making his contribution to my current paper
{photo taken with ShakeitPhoto}

my imaginary home is expanding

2009-11-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

New kitchen:

{love it all - - the floors, the windows, the island, the appliances!}

Cool dining nook:

{I love that door!}

Bedroom:

{great windows & I love pretty molding!}

New Bathroom:

{everything about this is beautiful - - the floor, the tub, the mirrors!}

lan- what?

2009-11-14T14:34:00.001-08:00

How did I miss out on these?
I mean, I know I don't ever buy makeup
and I've never been to the lancome website before today
but, gosh, those are awesome.

Quixotic Designs: Invitation Compilation Debut

2009-11-14T11:44:00.001-08:00

{all boxed up and ready to be mailed}

I think by now it is safe to post pictures of my recent creations without spoiling the surprise for anyone involved... so allow me to introduce you to what the philosopher refers to as my insane procrastination effort: baby shower invitations.

Technically, there were six different variations of the design that got mailed out and two different stamp designs. But, for all intensive purposes I think of the invitation as having 3 main variations with a little something extra thrown in for the {great!(grand)parents}, the aunts, and the uncles-to-be.

All of the invitations sent out had four essential components: The letter-pressed lion invitation with blue ink (printed on sustainable bamboo paper) from Smock; a personalized letter-pressed elephant enclosure card from Dingbat Press; a hand stamped, double-sided light blue insert that included directions to the shower, registry information, and a special request for guests; and one or two *super cute* stamps from Cakespy's Zazzle shop.

The elephant enclosure cards were not just for looks - - I especially want to orient the shower towards personal relationships and I thought I'd lay the groundwork by asking the guests to share something personal. I included the guest's name(s) on the bottom of the envelopes to add a personal touch to the invites and just in case someone fills out the card but forgets to sign, the new parents will know who it was from!

There was a "ruffle ribbon" version:

{at the very end I ran out of white ruffle ribbon and had to use a bright ivory ruffle ribbon for a couple invitations *technically* yielding two variations - - fortunately, the ivory looks white until compared directly against the actual white ribbon!}

There was a "jungle leaf ribbon" version:

{Since the ribbon was reversible, it *technically* yielded two variations.}

There was a "paper bag" version:

no frilly ribbon just a cute little paper bag to hold
the lion invitation, the elephant enclosure card, and the blue insert.

There were 7 extra special invitations for the parents-to-be,
three aunts-to-be, two uncles-to-be,
two sets of grandparents-to-be,
and one pair of great! grandparents-to-be.

For them, I put the invitation in an unsealed "inner" envelope, then encased it in blue tissue paper, and housed the whole shebang in a special little box. Partly I did this because the little chartreuse boxes were just so cute (but too expensive to mail to everyone!). But also it was important to me that these invitations not get too banged up in transit. After all, if anyone is going to save these invites it'll likely be someone especially close to the parents-to-be and the new baby.

And there were two stamp variations:

A "cuppies & owl" stamp version and a
"where the wild (and sweet) things are" stamp version.
{I really wanted to use these stamps too
because they're soooooooooooooooooo cute
but there just weren't enough invitations to merit the extra sheet.
I'll have to think of something else to mail! wink, wink}

All in all there were 29 shower invitations.
I can't wait to see how many people show up to the main event!!

speaking of...

2009-11-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

I love this idea for "recycling" or re-using wedding decor after the fact. I've already got fabric incorporated into my wedding invitations and, perhaps as a result of being so giddy about my idea, I've gotten obsessed with fabric as a complement to any sort of invitation (not that it works best in everycase but I do love an element of the unexpected!).

I've also gotten pretty attached to this idea for a spin on the traditional "guestbook". And it is so nice to have someone else's tips and tricks from their own trial run. The tip about ink that washes off easily is actually what sealed the deal for me falling hard for this idea!

{I think this "leaf your print" bit would actually be soooo cool for a baby shower as well. Just sayin.}

Speaking of baby showers and weddings, this idea fits sooo well with my plan for my own eventual baby shower (in ten years, of course). If I weren't already so totally attached to my baby shower plan, I'd enthusiastically follow suit and scatter empty books around the wedding for people to fill. Although, now that I think about it, I've actually got something kind of similar lined up for the wedding... hmm.. no spines but a blank canvas meets comic books sort of thing. Well, more on that later, I guess. :)

Lastly, I'm still loving this photo shoot (and most balloon photo shoots for that matter). The only problem with photos as good as these is that I fall in love with every little detail - - in this case, I've fallen hardest for the now-impossible-to-get dress. Isn't it fabulous?! I never would have chosen it otherwise but with the balloons it just pops and is perfect. Wow. And, did you notice that guy is wearing a sweater? He's rocking it pretty well... I'm impressed. I don't think my Luke would ever get into a sweater.

this too shall pass...

2009-11-12T07:11:00.000-08:00

When photos of your favorite weddingbee writer's wedding start popping up on Green Wedding Shoes and beyond I guess the party is really over. Darn. I love Miss Cowboy Boot. Now that the Miss is a Mrs where will I get my regular stream of fantastic wedding inspiration and behind the scenes event planning? Moreover, now that her wedding celebration has come to fruition I'm find myself oohhhing and ahhing over the photos secretly wondering if my own celebration will be anywhere as lovely.

Derelict Chic

2009-11-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

What a cool exhibit! "Rethinking Trash Into Inspired Art". I dig it.

And yes, that is a bubblewrap-plastic dress.
Check out the details:

Like whoa.
Even better is the shovel guitar....
it actually plays well too!

I especially like the seat belt strap.

Wow. Cool. Now that really is turning trash into functional art.
Better than tossing the phones into a landfill I suppose.
Even though I'm not sure I'd want them in my house,
wouldn't these look awesome in a museum display?
Or an anthropologie window display?
{I'm not totally sure why but they remind me
of that movie - - "Honey I Shrunk the Kids"}

Ohhhh, collllllaaaggggeeee.
I like colorful collages.
Especially ones like this
where you'll find something new
each time you look.

Sweet speaker housing.
Supposedly the artist found all of these suitcases
along the side of the highway.
Can you believe it?
They don't seem all that junky to me
but maybe that's just how good the artist is.

Umm... so as cool as I think some of the trash art is.....
some things are not art.
They are, as far as I can tell, irretrievably and undeniably trash.

Case in point: the tea bag quilt.

That is nasty.

Here is what the artist had to say about the work:

"This unusual quilt is created with used tea bags. Artist Ruth Tabancay has used them to "represent a geature of warmth, an article of clothing, a barrier, cells of the human body, organelles within cells." Who would have thought used tea bags could be so versatile. Tabancay uses tea bags daily, so making them a medium for her art is a great way for her to reduce waste and consumption."

Am I sickeningly cynical or does that just sound like bollocks?
1) tea bags are biodegradable, right?
2) the artist is still drinking tea....
so unless she's sleeping under the quilt
I can't tell how she's reducing her consumption
aside from refusing to buy other art supplies.
But then again, as this exhibit shows, art supplies can be free.
3) maybe tea bags are nice and warm when they're freshly dipped
but when I see a pile or "quilt" of tea bags
"warmth" does not fit within my immediate associations.
In fact, quite the opposite. I think of cold, limp, disgusting tea bags.

Ick. Just looking at the photo gives me chills!
But, then again, that is just me.

then and now

2009-11-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

{found here}

oh my. this is so funny!
I LOVED Mighty Ducks when I was younger
and was psyched to get an American Girl doll for Christmas!
AND, sadly, Target trips have become my vacation equivalents.

weddingbee flowers

2009-11-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

{photos found here}

Beautiful, beautiful. I don't plan on having a huge three-tier white cake at my wedding and I probably won't be overemphasizing pinks and yellows but I do love these flowers! Wouldn't they look great at a girly baby shower? Or is that just my crazed-baby-shower-planning-delirium shining through?? Maybe without the light pink roses... just bright poppies and the yellow flower balls and books! books! books!

this is sweet.

2009-11-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

{found here}

why I love the holidays, part one

2009-11-01T10:11:00.000-08:00

pretty advertisements, festive packaging, and the spirit of giving

Of course I never shop at Target
since EVERYTHING is better (and usually cheaper) on Amazon.
But I do love their festive shipping for the holidays - -
no gift wrap necessary when the box is so cute.
And, clever clever Target execs, the more you order
the better it will all look on the doorstep.

I wonder if they do anything for other holidays...

"Hanukkah Delivered"

"Kwanzaa Delivered"

Kwanzaa is actually pretty interesting to me because it is so recent. I think it began in the 60's... I guess what is amazing about "new" or recent holidays or religions like Kwanzaa is that they're able to develop such a committed following so quickly. I mean, the principles of Kwanzaa were taught in my middle school. That is success.

funny lady

2009-10-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

Ellen cracks me up. Every time.
The Dakota Fanning by line put me over the top.

Halloween!

2009-10-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a Halloween person anymore... but sometimes I miss the Halloween days of my youth when the holiday was all about make believe and having fun. For college students it is mostly an opportunity to expose a little more cleavage... but sometimes when I find inspiration like this it makes me get a little giddy about the days when I've got a kiddo of my own to take up the creative side of Halloween spirit once again!

These DIY costumes from Martha Stewart rock.

I've also found lots of inspiration for Halloween parties which I just may make use of before there is a kiddo on the horizon. My philosopher's birthday is in October and I've been thinking about throwing a pre-Halloween birthday bash for quite some time now.

Maybe we could have some SPOOKTACULAR invitations like one of the se (with a birthday twist, of course)...

Or something like this...

But my favorite invite idea of all is something creepy and surprising like this:

At the party we could serve some ghoulish treats like these...

chocolate (or hot coco or coffee) with marshmallow bones

yummy witchcream sandwitches

spider cake

And/or my favorite spooky sweet - -

cuppie brains!
Actually, my favorite thing about this is the name tag set up.
I especially love the one at the front because a long time ago
I started referring to my philosopher as Sir Thinks-A-Lot.
Coincidence?? I think not.

We could decorate our house sort of like this...

A Halloween birthday bash for my love is meant to be.
I just know it.

cute.

2009-10-29T07:10:00.001-07:00

{found this here, DIY instructions over here}

This is Awesome.

2009-10-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

keep calm and carry on

2009-10-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

I'm in a sad sort of waiting game...
waiting for the tick tocks to catch up with me
waiting until there is no more time
nothing left for me to do
than go to class one
and go to class two
waiting until my fingers have given form to my ideas
and these papers are complete.

waiting for the bus and the train
tomorrow's inevitable rain...

Holidays are Sweet.

2009-10-15T22:37:00.001-07:00

It is true, I love cupcakes and the holiday season. Both.

What makes the cupcakes and the holidays even better??
Well, this year, Neiman Marcus.
Despite their ridiculous prices, I love browsing through Neiman Marcus.
AND, because of their ridiculousness, I loooovvvvveeee browsing
the annual Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog.

After all, where else do I come across crazy things like this:

Meet the customized 25 grand "Cupcake Car".

No Joke.

sweet house, sweeter treehouse.

2009-10-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

Wouldn't it be fun to live here...
Or to let your kids play here...
Talk about inspiring imagination!

Mac...

2009-10-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

Used to be teeny-tiny.
I weighed him on Friday.
He's now 16.8 pounds.
C'est la vie.

a special delivery dissected!

2009-10-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to unpacking some of my stamp boxes! I didn't have a lot of time to get really re-acquainted with the collection but I did flip through some of the books and snap a couple of quick photos.

Just to get an idea of the magnitude of the collection...

the giant boxes and some of the guts...

Here are a few of my favorites:

hotness.

2009-10-09T23:57:00.000-07:00

I have beautiful friends, it's true.

mixed messages and why I am so great

2009-10-08T23:21:00.000-07:00

How cute is {this}?

Leading question, I know.

I figure there are three basic types of people:
1. those that read {this}, giggle, and badly want kids of their own
2. those that read {this}, release a sigh of relief, and feel grateful to either
a. not have kids or b. have kids of a different age
3. those that read {this} with absolute indifference.

Can you guess which one I am?

BTW: The "I am the Best!" sign is my favorite!
It reminds me of Nietzsche (pinning me, undeniably, a college student).

Narcissistic Pickle Tycoons, Bioslavery, and John Moore's Spleen

2009-10-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

This is what I'm thinking about, once again. Actually, the narcissistic pickle tycoon is new to me, grâce à Priscilla Wald, but I've been mulling over the general question of bodily ownership for a while now. Do you own your body? Legally no. But, legally no one else is supposed to either. Our bodies are in a perpetual legal limbo - - the swampy fringes of our code of law.

I've got to gather my thoughts quickly on the rights of individuals' to their own bodies - - our husky shells down to the littlest bits of our genetic code. If I were a justice on the California Supreme Court, what would my decision in the Moore case be? By Friday I'll have an answer.

don't get me started... not yet

2009-10-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

Someday soon I will have a lot more to say about {this}.The mass agriculture, factory farming setup our country so cherishes is an absolute blight on our health, our natural environments, and the safety and quality of life of the workers and animals involved. It doesn't really matter where one's values and priorities lie, an irrefutable case against factory farming can be made to appeal to just about anyone actually willing to do the research or, even easier, listen to it. One of the things that I think is so sad about it all is that {this woman}, despite having an unusually aggressive response, is not an exception. So many people are harmed by the food industry every day. Ugg. Like I said, soon I will have much, much more to say both formally and informally (and hopefully a *little* more eloquently). But for now....

kidease

2009-10-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

So... the idea behind these little lunches is really great.
And the images are really funny and cute.
But... well... is it just me or does "kidease" sound like an insult?

Kidease...Disease...

Kidease...Cooties...

The possibilities for other kids to mercilessly make fun of the lunch goer
innocently trying to "ease" their existence with a fun bite to eat...

I don't even want to think about it.

Two things.

2009-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

1. These invitations are really, really cute. I {heart} them very much.

2. {This Blog} is amazing. I've been following Cannelle Vanille for several months and, again, all there is to say is that Aran is incredible.

Supercalafragalistexpialidociously so.

booksbooksbeautifulbooks

2009-09-29T10:21:00.001-07:00

It is obvious, I'm sure, that my philosopher and I love books.
In a lot of ways, he probably loves them more than me
but at a certain point the minute differences are irrelevant.

Our home will always be brimming with bookshelves and piles of books
and we'll continue building a library for as long as we can.

I come by it honestly for sure.
Growing up I thought everyone had a living room
decorated with floor to ceiling bookshelves
stacked two or three rows thick.

As I got older I came to realize
that, in fact, not everyone loves to be surrounded by books.
Weird. To each her own, I suppose but I can never escape the feeling
that a spine-less home is cold and empty.

It is just so strange to see bookshelves with huge gaps of open space
a paperweight here, maybe a coffee table book there, a couple of picture frames...

However, despite my love of books - particularly beautiful hardcovers -
I have been trying to reconcile my desire to emulate this (with a twist)
with the guilt and sadness I feel in taking a razor to a masterpiece.

I suppose it is about artistic endeavors...
you have to break an egg to make an omelet...
and so on and so forth...

We'll see if I really have it in me to follow through with my plans
for these lovely, dusty hardcovers I found at the Still Waters book sale this year.

Create.A.Swap

2009-09-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

I participated in a create-a-swap a few weeks back...
And I've finally gotten around to posting some photos.

The rules were simple:
Create three things
Send them to your partner
Receive three handmade things

Here is what I received:

Spectacular, no?!
Thanks Abby for the awesome gifts!
And thanks to Cara for organizing it all.

the imaginary tour continues

2009-09-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

too white overall, but colors would sure pop in this kitchen

I love, love, love exposed brick and chandeliers!

bold colors, books, french double doors... lovely.

great, simple office to get things done...

simple storage

I love trunks and four poster beds -
those windows are spectacular too!

A library for our children and a big comfy chair.

reading room attic for grand adventures and imaginative escapes!

golden glen creamery

2009-09-27T11:05:00.001-07:00

Holy Cow.
I've come across a most amazing local find: Golden Glen Creameries.
Not only is the creamery located in my general area,
and not only does their milk come in great glass bottles,
their regular prices are cheaper than most sale prices for other brands!

It is a win, win, win. Triple threat.
I'm absolutely psyched!

a day at the fair grounds

2009-09-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Having lived in the Seattle area for 5 years now
I've definitely been witness to a flood of rave reviews and hype
concerning the annual Puyallup Fair.
"DO THE PUYALLUP FAIR"

The philosopher, however, has never been one
to rally around the idea of us attending the fair.
Since he grew up in Puyallup, he's "done it" quite a bit.
It's just not his thing.

After five years of piqued interest though
I just couldn't refuse Christy's invitation to come along
and see the grand event with my own two eyes.
{and because the philosopher loves me so, he came along too}

The dahlias were very pretty - -
some had bushy heads the size of basketballs!!

And the rides were fun even if I only took one short adventure
along the rickety tracks of the roller coaster with Joe.
{I love, love, love roller coasters and amusement park rides!}

But the most bizarre thing to witness
were the many odd and unusual displays
of random collections, scrapbook pages, art, and preserved food.

I suppose I am a bit jaded...
but why exactly did this entry earn a special mention?

There were lots of impressive quilts to see
and various art exhibits.
I would have taken more photos
but was reprimanded by a volunteer.
So I'll just got a few sneaky photos from my phone
to remember the day by.

"Golden Dreams in Those Mountains"
by Aletha Deuel

by Mary Schessow-Schumaller

All in all, I'm glad we went.
The roller coaster ride was fun and
some of the crafts & art were really impressive.
But, I'll be okay not going again.

{all photos by me, on my little phone except for Robin Rice's beautiful print}

a new tradition...

2009-09-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Last night the philosopher and I got back from a quick little trip to Vancouver with L's mom, Christy. It was a lot of fun. We picnicked by a rose garden, ate interesting food and spent hours walking through Stanley Park admiring the gardens, interacting with the raccoons, looking at the trees, and talking.

The raccoons were very, very unnaturally social and absolutely adorable. They were so used to people feeding them peanuts and such that they would walk right up to you with their big eyes asking for food.

We also spent over four hours at the Vancouver aquarium looking at fish and watching the dolphins play. Oh, how I love dolphins! It was the first time, that any of us could think of, that we've been to an aquarium that wasn't solely focused on entertainment. There was a big social push for sustainability and alternatives with our fishing practices. It used to be that the aquariums went and caught their whales, dolphins, otters, sea lions, etc... But surprisingly, and sadly, most of their whales, dolphins, and sea lions were rescued.

...And then we walked and talked a little more.

{all photos by my philosopher or myself}

still dreaming of beautiful dresses...

2009-09-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

like the short one on the left...

this unique soft and fluffy beauty...

this beaded show stopper...

this dramatic black and white number...

more soft and fluffy... with a twist on usual all white gowns

the lovely draped dress on the far right...

all of these... in different colors
but especially the long one on the right

the fantastic white dress on the far left...

and that gorgeous draped dress in the center...

all photos thanks to {casando ideas}

sending sunshine to an unsuspecting stranger...

2009-09-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

How amazing is this?
Just imagine:
one special day in which everyone gets a handwritten note, just because.
I found out about this grâce à Cara.
Check out her blog for a clip from the BBC about these mysterious letters.

welcome to my imaginary home... a partial tour of things to come

2009-09-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

{source}
Making the most of a small room - -
window box nook for sleeping, leaving an open room for other things.

{source}
Maximizing space...books!

{source}

Minimalist, clean bedroom with wood floors for better air quality.

{source}
A nice big closet to store things...

{source}
A secret library with a red brick floor to carry me away.

{source}

A sunny spot to read surrounded by greenery.

{source}
If not a cozy guest house,
maybe a nice basement apartment for out of town visitors.

{source}
An incredible, sweeping view enhanced with candlelight.

Ummm... I've been gone a while.

2009-09-20T23:38:00.001-07:00

I wish I could say I was off galivanting in Europe...
whizzing around in a smart little car.
Regrettably, I have not.

I have, however, come across some
AMAZING
handmade
VEGAN
soap.

I found it {here} on etsy, naturally.
Check out Marie's blog too for giveaways.

i need to move to Sweden.

2009-09-16T12:19:00.001-07:00

Why you ask? Amazingly cute biodegradable bags in three great designs.

sewing up a storm

2009-09-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty crafty lately.

Finally starting to dig into some of my long postponed sewing projects. I made a blanket for the philosopher's soon-to-be nephew or niece and a whole set of fabric gift bags.

For labor day the philosopher's family gathered at the lake for a pickleball round robin, some settlers of catan, and a whole lotta food. I put together a few little things for the baby in waiting and then we were off... Unfortunately, one can only be crafty for so long...

moo.

2009-09-06T05:25:00.000-07:00

{learn something new}

Tipping should be too.

i didn't do it but i dug it

2009-09-06T04:11:00.000-07:00

I've become fascinated with The Weathermen.
The Weather Underground in particular.
It's the philosopher's doing really.
He was thumbing through a book
contrasting the weathermen and the RAF
which inevitably led to an evening on the couch
watching The Weather Underground,
a documentary about the group.

You know how you can go through life
oblivious to various things in daily surroundings
until you suddenly come across some new information
or have a revelation of some kind
and then start noticing random things all over the place
connected to the new information or revelation in your life?

It happens to me all the time.

Anyway, a couple of days after seeing the documentary
L and I were browsing through books at Half Price.
Lo and behold, totally random, was Bill Ayer's book, Fugitive Days.

A couple days before and I probably wouldn't have noticed.

It is a seemingly strange idea that the weathermen pushed:
violence and bombings as irenic gestures.
But I get it. Honestly, learning more about the group,
and the way they operated, I think it makes sense.

It makes me think about V for Vendetta.
"If our own government was responsible
for the deaths of almost a hundred thousand people...
would you really want to know?"

And, perhaps more importantly, if you did know
that our government was responsible
for the grotesquely horrifying deaths of millions,
what would you do?

What options are left
when one small group has a monopoly on power,
when they don't allow any other voices to be heard?

Why is it that violence by the state is so often assumed to be
justified, legitimate, legal, and right
while violence from the fringes is assumed a priori to be
unjustified, illegitimate, illegal, and wrong?

The Weathermen bombed symbolic buildings
in retaliation for actions the U.S. government took.
They always explained the reason for the bombing and,
most importantly, they always made serious efforts
to have the buildings cleared before the bombs detonated -
an attempt to make sure people were not harmed or killed.

And yet.
They are given the label "terrorist",
burdened by the media's unceasing demands for apologies.

I don't know. I don't really believe they should apologize,
or be expected to. I'm no expert, but as far as I can tell,
the days of rage were among the most senseless of their actions.
It seems to me to be among the closest approximations of lived terrorism.
But... well... the police brutally beat the shit out of them in the process.
Where are the apologies from the men wielding nightsticks and guns?
Though the media insists on remorseful reminiscence,
I agree with Ayers on this one.

There is a lot of misinformation about the group out there.
Especially after Palin's accusation against Obama.
But research on the group supports Ayer's account.

You've heard the saying "treason is a matter of dates"...
I feel like this is pretty similar.

"The important questions, of course, remain unsettled: What does the dream of social justice ask of us? What are the obstacles to our humanity now? And how shall we live?

I can't quite imagine putting a bomb in a building today --
all of that seems so distinctly a part of then. But I can't imagine entirely dismissing the possibility, either. To say, We want justice, makes utter sense to me as it always has, but to add, But of course not by any means -- is, it seems to me, to put your neck right on the chopping block. As a tactic, perhaps, but as principle, no.

Say the unjust are particularly powerful, as they so often are in our world, and enforcing a wide range of painful social relations, and say they make it clear that any serious opponent will be jailed or shot. They insist on only "peaceful" protest, prescribed and entirely in-bounds, and they enforce that dictate with clubs and guns and rockets. They grant themselves a monopoly on power, an exclusive franchise on violence, and they use it. What then?"
Fugitive Days, 284-5.

better than recycling.

2009-09-05T23:25:00.001-07:00

Just found out about freecycle.org
Cool.

I was trying to learn about making paper from fabric scraps.
Totally unsuccessful. But I am sleepy now.
I'll learn more about it later.

interesting article from the NYT

2009-09-03T00:13:00.001-07:00

{This is really cool.}
I can only think of a few things that would make this better.
1. more of it.
2. a cooperative effort between Phillips and the guys from Cradle2Cradle
3. being involved in something similar myself

the countdown begins

2009-09-01T14:29:00.001-07:00

L and I will be getting a new

and * hopefully * improved
bathroom in two weeks.
Whoop, whoop.
I'm still wishing
it would look something like this:

new ride.

2009-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

{not my bike exactly, but similar}

I bought a bike yesterday. It is all kinds of exciting. I am sooo ready for the bicycle shopping phase to be over. Everytime L and I would go to a store to check out bikes, apparel, accessories, etc... I just felt e and irritated. It is not enought that you're spending a couple hundred bucks on a bike, they can't bother to put a comfortable seat on the thing. Then, it is not enough that you've spend your $50+ on cycling shorts in order to withstand your seat, you've got to buy pedals and, probably, new shoes too. Then, you've got to gear up with flouresent and reflective apparel (which, naturally, is impossible to find at any store for cheap).

Whatever. I'm done. Yipee! My shorts (which weren't $50+ dollars!!) are on their way from Indiana or some place. My bike is in the garage - she's really fast! My cheapo target gloves are resting in my second hand helmet. And I am soooo ready to ride.

2009-08-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

The creative junkie has spoken to my soul this morning: "So, exercise did not kill me. My entire belief system is shaken to its core." You've got to check it out. {click here}

learn something new

2009-08-27T22:54:00.001-07:00

interesting.
{via learn something new everyday}

food envy, raw goodness

2009-08-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

{from the dieline}

Janell is such an inspiring person in many, many ways. One of the things we talked a lot about over breakfast and strolling through Pikes Place was food. She and her hubby are avid chefs. They make their own pasta every now and then. They're on the move to start making their own yogurt. They're itching to make their own almond butters, peanut butters, etc... They're awesome. Anyhow, Janell has done a lot of research on the importance of eating raw foods. After talking about it a bit, I must say I am convinced. Of course, I don't think I could really go all out on an exclusively raw diet. But I am aching to start increasing the proportion of raw food I eat. For a brief account of raw diets {click here}. As the philosopher and I ate our economical $2.00 per person spaghetti dinner earlier with sauce from a can and garlic bread scavaged from a dumpster (not really as gross as it sounds, long story), I realized how envious I am of people who actually put in the effort to make their own food. L and I are not those kinds of people. We like to go with things that are easy, vegetarian, and locally grown, if possible. I keep telling myself that we'll do more cooking, etc... when we have an actual kitchen. I wonder if that is true.

tire-ing out.

2009-08-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

The philosopher and I have been shopping for bikes today. Allllll day. It is not a very fun experience actually. The first store, Revolution Cycles, said decent entry level road bikes would start around $650. The next store on 45th and Roosevelt was a total waste of time. No customer service, no cheap bikes. Gregg's on Greenlake informed us that decent entry-level bikes would run more along the lines of $800. Yikes.

Craigslist has been pretty disappointing overall. A couple of leads but mostly old bikes. The ones that are new and that look pretty good are still selling for $5-6. A lot of money considering I could just get a new one for a little bit more. Hmm...

The pawn shops were worse. Mostly mountain bikes.

There are two really, really crummy parts to this whole bike-hunt. First, I feel like an idiot. I don't know the lingo. I don't know anything about the brands or parts (except for my brief internet research last night). AND, they always want me to get on the bike to check out the fit which is, by far, the most uncomfortable experience. "How does it feel?" "Uncomfortable." "Why?" "Because it feels like you're about to let go of the bike." Yes, I am terrified. I seriously wish I were 6 again and could go for one with ribbons and training wheels without being judged (or worse).

Which brings me to the second really crummy part of the bike-hunt. All of the "moderately" priced bikes are U-G-L-Y. Why doesn't electra make a great road bike that looks like the other road bikes... but, you know, cute?

I really want this bike:

Unfortunately it is a cruiser bike and the philosopher would never let me live it down. Maybe as a gift to myself someday after I face my fears and become a regular biker.

Another cruiser bike from electra I love is this one, voted Best Women's Cruiser Bike for 2009:

The electra road bike equivalent is, I think, "the townie". They're not really road bikes but some are a sort of cross between a road bike and a comfort bike. Some are single speed, others 3, some 7, some 8, some 16, and even a 21 speed model.

Aren't they wonderful?! Electra is known for challenging the hunch-style riding most road bikes require. Unfortunately, that is just one more reason why it is hard to convince L that these bikes are real bikes. (Not that I really know... )

The felt bikes are kind of cute but the road bike versions aren't anything to write home about.

racing in circles

2009-08-24T23:11:00.000-07:00

I'm on the hunt for a bike and it absolutely frightens me. True, I enjoyed riding around Onion Creek when I was younger. But the last time I really rode around was about 8 years ago and, in case you don't know, I am the least coordinated person ever. Or at least in Seattle. My some-day mother in law offered me a spare bike to ride around on a few weeks ago to save me the expense of purchasing my own. After three miserable attempts to ride it I realized, happily, that it is a kid's bike. I guess what is sad is that I didn't realize that on my own. Anyhow, the philosopher loves to ride and has been pestering me to get my butt on a bike and head for the open trail with him. This has been going on for a while actually, this desire of his for me to ride. So I am grudgingly, yet a little optimistically, trying to face my fears and take up riding. The bitter-sweet thing about starting this new hobby is it necessitates buying a bike. (Bitter because road bikes are f*ing expensive - even on craigslist I can't find a road bike for less than 150$ and that is for an 80's bike - but sweet if I don't break my nose or my neck riding and have some fun.)

a closet of clothes and nothing to wear...

2009-08-20T20:29:00.001-07:00

I keep dreaming about my wedding dress. Literally dreaming. All night it is as though I'm just flipping through photos. It is like I've seen it before somewhere... yet as I search through hundreds of photos I can't spot it. Granted I'm not at all sure what kind of dress I really want for my wedding. For years I've thought the traditional white (often poofy) dress is just silly. Not to mention unflattering -- who really wants to look like a glorified marshmallow? But as I've browsed more and more photos of weddings and of dresses I have become **slightly** more impressed by the beauty of **certain** dresses. I am still unsure about the whole white dress thing...

***Mayyyybbeeee*** something a little like this:

or this middle one:
or one of these:or something like this:or something with a back like this:
or a twist on this:or perhaps one like this, my favorite white dress so far: Truth be told though, I'm still drawn to dresses with a little more color.

I really love these two:

and these two middle ones:and the second pink one, as well as that purple:If nothing else, I'm tempted to go for a fairly traditional wedding gown in a different shade.

Like this pale pink softie:
None of these are just right... but eventually I'll flip to the right page or, more importantly, go to the right store and find something wonderful for me.

i hate nature... moving in where it doesn't belong

2009-08-19T23:41:00.000-07:00

Last night while the philosopher was getting a pile of clothes ready for the wash, it happened. We saw a spider. Was this the first time it had ever happened? No. But it was the first of its kind nonetheless.

The Philosopher: {look of disbelief and horror}
Me: ?!@#!@#$!!!?!?@#?!
Me (from the other room): Do you want a shoe?
The Philosopher: Yes please. Hurry!

{SQUASH}

A few minutes pass. The philosopher comes out into the living room, looks at me and asks: Was that a spider or a small dog?

Am I freaking out every night now wondering if a HUGE spider is creeping into our bed? Yes. I hope this memory fads fast.

On a happier note, JANELL IS HERE, JANELL IS HERE!!! She's looking amazing with a huge rock on her hand and so many stories to tell! I can't wait for Friday when I'm done with classes and can just hang out!

Screaming from a Rooftop

2009-08-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

Janell heads North
tomorrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!

I see some serious cupcake-ing in our not too distant future.

pretty paper and other things

2009-08-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

The philosopher received a little gift in the mail yesterday from Amazon (read:mymom). What is it the philosopher loves to get more than anything else? Kisses? Close. But the answer is books. He's a voracious reader, that one. This time he received The Age of Wonder, a book concerned with the history of science. It actually looks really, really interesting! {Maybe I'll sneak in a few chapters before he gets a chance to cuddle down with it!}

Anyway, one of the most wonderful things about the book so far is the beautiful, beautiful dust jacket. The pictures online seriously do not do it justice. It is phenomenal... for a dust jacket anyway. In most ways it highlights the color scheme I'd like to incorporate into my wedding invitations... along with some greens and maybe some amethyst or papaya for kicks. I really wish I knew how they printed that gold. I've been asking around and I'm pretty sure that is not a letterpress possibility. But, if I can swing it, gold will make its way into the wedding invites (etc...) nonetheless!

i think...

2009-08-17T22:33:00.001-07:00

It might be some kind of incredible to live in a place like this:

{photo found here}
I don't think I could get the philosopher to move into a pink house though.

somewhere along the way I turned into a hippie

2009-08-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

With all our attempts at planning for grad school, a move to {somewhere}, and a wedding one thing has become very apparent: this next year is going to be BIG. SO, I would like our honeymoon to totally once-in-a-lifetime-crazy-spankles-super-cool! Of course all honeymoons are *fingers-crossed* "once-in-a-lifetime"-type trips and, of course, all honeymoons are *fingers-crossed* special. BUT, since this next summer is going to be such an unusual and important marker in our lives, I would like for the philosopher and I to make the absolute most of a summer that we'll remember forever. I want the stories we tell our grandkids to be flat out unbelievable (in a good way, bien sûr)!

In thinking about amazing, once-in-a-lifetime, incredibly fun trip possibilities I stumbled across a great idea: a road-trip across Europe or the United States in an old VW van. Memorable? Surely! Unusual? Yes! Fun? Well... I think so. I ran the idea past the philosopher and it didn't even garner a verbal response. I wish I had a picture to share of the look on his face. I guess this idea will rest in the reject bin. To give him credit, I probably would get tired of riding around in a clunker. What with my unrelenting car-sickness and my desire for our honeymoon to not be associated with the word «gritty». Maybe we could compromise on one of these or these.

Although if we can't ride across the country in a VW van, I'd at least like to head to New York dance in front of this one:

check mate.

2009-08-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

As it turns out, the philosopher and I have a leaky shower
attracting mold and eating through siding. It is a mess.

The good news:
we're getting a new shower and
we *might* be getting a mini bathroom makeover

The bad news:
our *current* bathroom will never look like any of these and
we'll have to do all the painting ourselves

{photo found here}

This has such a French country meets PBkids feel to it yet I really like it.

{photo found here}

All white bothers me... but I do love the molding and the curved ceiling.

{photo found here}

These sinks are a little industrial
but I still love the clean, fresh look Pottery Barn is so good at.

{photo found here}

I love these tiles and the Moroccan feel to this!

{photo found here}

I'm not so keen on this bathroom but I do love the windows in the wall.

Congratulations Janell!!

2009-08-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

Today my dear friend Janell will be wearing black, accessorizing with some fringe, and walking across a very special stage to receive her undergraduate degree. It is mostly a formality since she really finished her undergrad work last year and has already begun vet school. I don't know why they made her wait a year for official documentation of her genius-ness but I couldn't be happier for her to be walking across that stage, receiving the recognition she deserves! In three short years she'll have all that she needs to start saving animals for a living and doing what she's always dreamed of! Congratulations Janell!

a house is more than a home

2009-08-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

Sometimes I start imagining my future home... well, dream home.
{I think I get this from my mother and her ceaseless real estate browsing.}

It is so easy to see pictures of a beautiful home in a different city, state, or even country and imagine life being perfect. As if the house itself would push all problems and difficulties away. For the most part I've moved beyond the belief or desire for a real estate bandaid. However, I am genuinely excited for the day L and I have our own home.

{photo found here}

maybe it will have lots of pretty molding and curvy hallways

{photo found here}

a big beautiful kitchen

{photo found here}

an inviting library for all our books
with comfy chairs to read and get lost in on rainy days

{photo found here}

a bunk room for the kids
so they can have lots of slumber parties

{photo found here}

a nice little pool
(that someone else would clean...)

{photo found here}

and a treehouse out back, of course,
for adventuring and make believe.

Our lives will still be busy and we'll still have to grudgingly wash the dishes, fold laundry, and clean up after our kitties. But it will be our home to live and dream and love in.

oh my

2009-08-12T22:25:00.000-07:00

I really want a cupcake.

From Trophy, of course, cause they're the best
{except for the ones my philosopher bakes}
wink, wink

Also, how did I miss the Trophy-Cakespy conversion of sweetness???
It was this May. This last May. All month.
Yum. Cupcake + Unicorn + Sprinkles + rainbow = Delicious.
Or so I imagine. Clearly I didn't indulge enough this last May.

Speaking of, I recently struck *sugar* trolling through the archives.
First came this delightful gem of hilarity: the little debb ie death match.

Then I found a real treat: 50 ways to kill a twinkie.

Finally, I came across one of my all-time favorite cakespy posts:
how (not) to ship a cupcake

today

2009-08-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

{image found here}

I want to go camping in a backyard that looks like this.

i wonder

2009-08-11T19:39:00.001-07:00

{photo found here}

what it would be like to live here.
Probably pretty cold in the Winter...
the checkered ivy might make up for it though.

moving up

2009-08-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

My brother Corbin and his girlfriend Julie have spent the last couple of days driving from the heart of Texas to their new home in Colorado. Isn't their new house cute?! Now comes the fun part: unpacking loads of boxes and stocking an empty fridge! Too bad they'll have to deal with things like letters of congratulations and birthday presents in the mail as well... hint, hint! Have fun y'all.

today

2009-08-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

the philosopher and I joined 13 other people at the lake for a birthday in honor of L's grandmother and myself. Sylvia turned 83 on the sixth and I turned 22. We got off to a late start on a rather cool and cloudy day but had a good time all in all. The philosopher and I got schooled at pickleball, hung out the the grandparents, chatted with aunts and uncles and cousins and friends, sat out on the dock, and feasted on (garden)burgers. I also received a pretty awesome cadeau! I'll admit it looks a little bit like a fisher price toy in person but I can't wait to start taking it out to play!

Sorry fellas...

2009-08-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

...the greatest girl in the world is now *officially* (engaged to be) taken!!!!

That beaming bombshell in the photo above is one of my most favorite ladies in the universe! She and I have been friends since our freshmen year in high school - - I've loved her from the first day of class when she walked into the ag room with a tin lunch box, a funny t-shirt, and the most friendly, wonderful personality ever. And today my dear friend got engaged to who can only be a most amazing man!
CONGRATULATIONS Janell and John!!!

oh... and uh... sorry Janell for pilfering this photo but it's just perfect, you know?!

happy birthday to me!

2009-08-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

Today I turned 22.
Yikes!
I can remember being in 5th grade
absolutely unable to imagine the year 2005 - -
when I would be graduating from high school.
Whoa. Time flies.

Even though I had a test yesterday
and I'm prepping for another tomorrow,
today has been a very nice day!

I woke up to a cup of coffee and a plate of eggs,
cooked with love by my philosopher,
followed shortly by a phone call from my mom
singing happy birthday.

I received a phone call from someone special
that I haven't heard from in ages,
got one of the most special letters of my life
{from my philosopher, bien sûr}
AND I got a surprise present in the mail!

Remember my recent wish
for a cute little red sewing machine?
Well, I just got one!
{I love Amazon but I love Kay more!}

special delivery for a special day

2009-08-06T00:58:00.001-07:00

Earlier this evening, the philosopher and I took a nice little float across the Sound to spend some time with my mom on the island. We ate some Mexican food, talked, watched "What About Bob?", and played some skipbo. Oh, and I got a couple birthday presents! As per my request, my mom gave me a little bit of saving money. She also footed the UPS bill to transport a very special stamp collection from Texas to Washington. So here I am headed to bed the night before my birthDAY, six giant boxes of nostalgia and postal history richer. THANKS MOM!

forget about class...

2009-08-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

...and quizzes and work. I really just want to go to the lake and feed the ducks.

the street i live on in my head

2009-08-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

My birthday is on Thursday and the philosopher has been sneaking around our place making all sorts of secret arrangements to surprise me this weekend. I feel so happy and excited I could just burst!

I've been meaning to learn that....

2009-08-04T00:04:00.001-07:00

{photo found here}

Having spent most of my weekend spinning my metaphorical wheels in the hypothetical sand, I have come to a firm conclusion: it would be cool if I could learn how to sew. Nothing fancy. Just, you know, some basic stuff. There are two main problems, I think.

1. I'm not a very spatially adept person. So, figuring out where to sew what is a huge inconvenience for my ever contracting brain.
2. I don't have a cute little red or pink sewing machine.

Just kidding.

Sort of.

I really do want to learn though. I have about 7 different projects that I've been thinking about for 2+ years AND I've got about $300 worth of fabric waiting to be used for something special, so I should probably get my act together and acquire a few skillz. For now, I'll have to resign myself to practice, practice, practice whenever I've got some extra time. But by this winter I do expect to have some exciting little projects to share!

2009-08-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.”

-George Burns

{sometimes I think this might be true...}

loot and absurdity from our garden

2009-08-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

Mac and Allegra were just as perplexed about our siamese triplets as us.
Yes. Our garden is a freak breading ground.

... and we're pretty much eating lettuce with every meal.

Dear Mr.

2009-08-02T00:16:00.000-07:00

You rock. I love laying on the sofa watching dubbed movies with heath Klondikes in hand. And I love lifting weights with you later on, knowing your right there on the spot just in case I fall.

xoxo
me

My carrot had a wart today.

2009-07-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

But more on that later. I've found yet another amazing, beautiful, très incroyable place for Luke and I to celebrate our love in the company of family and friends...

Unfortunately, it is not in Washington... or California (not that California is really an option either). Sigh. Maybe we'll just have to visit the dolphins, turtles, and zebras at Cuixmala by ourselves.

Oh, also, the philosopher and I are officially done with French 102! Woot, woot! 103 starts up lundi.

2009-07-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

gettin' jiggy with it

2009-07-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

Speaking of weddings:

Coolest procession ever. Period.
{came across this here}

wonderful moving memories

2009-07-25T01:00:00.001-07:00

One of the "wedding things" that I really, really, really want is to commission some cinemagraphic documentation of L and I's love celebration. L isn't totally convinced ... (yet). I'm still wishing. After all, anyone can take photos of the party but how many people can create an amazing moving window into the feel of day? I think in 20 years the thing we'll enjoy looking back on the most is the video. It is just more real than a photo can ever hope to be. Please, Luke, please, please, please!!

I'm pretty much set on Mind Castle Studios to do the documentary magic. They're great. Even though most of their work I've seen has showcased rather traditional weddings (which ours surely won't be), they are incredible. I have full confidence in their abilities. This is my favorite video so far (and if anyone knows what song that is playing, please let me know!):

Nathan + Jenna || SDE from Casey Warren | MIND CASTLE on Vimeo.

BTW: Isn't Jenna gorgeous?! She and Nathan are just so cute together! J'adore! I nearly cry every time I watch this and I don't even know them.

2009-07-25T00:21:00.000-07:00

“I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It’s so fuckin’ heroic.”

- George Carlin {thanks Uncertain Grace!}

One of the things I love about Portland and Seattle is the fact that most roads and even highways are framed in green - - vines, trees, little tufts of grass peeking through concrete dividers. Green is everywhere and growing! Sometimes when I start to get borderline claustrophobic by the amount of asphalt and concrete around the city, I feel better knowing that the vines are growing longer day by day along the I-5 partitions. I also feel better knowing that times are changing; people are slowly starting to reclaim urban spaces in guerrilla gardening efforts. Wouldn't you just love to pass this sight on your way to work?

{photo from the Guerilla Gardening Homepage}

quiet confession

2009-07-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

{photo found here}

I'm not sure how to say this but... I really kinda badly want some pet farm animals, like now. For the most part this isn't anything new. For years it has been true that with enough open space I'd find a (read: some) cute goats, cows, ducks, horses, ponies, maybe even pigs (starting with the smallest first, bien sûr). I don't want them for meat. Like my banker once said, I'm in it for the love. (And maybe a little milk.) What is so very, very new about my re-invigorated desire for an urban farm is that I'm really badly, crazily wanting ***gasp*** chickens too! OH my! Who am I? For the record, I have generally felt that chickens are the most disgusting creatures on earth. This has been my standard line for...umm...ever. "They smell, they're stupid, they're dirty. They are not cute - not even a little bit." But, I've kindof changed my mind. And I really, really want some.

I've been thinking about it and I've arrived at the following conclusions. First, my experience with chickens has all been at one of two places: the AG farm at Bowie (where the chickens were totally overcrowded with little room to move around and I had the terrible misfortune of seeing stupid high school boys break their necks) and the farm of one of my family's friends in the little town were I grew up "deep in the heart of Texas" (where, again, the chickens were overcrowded on dirt ground without much space to move around). It is no wonder I have had such negative associations with chickens! What I am dreaming of is soooo different than either of these scenarios. For one thing, I would have just a few, which would have names and the luxury of roaming around on grass. For another thing, I wouldn't be breaking their necks. Ever. Period. Nor would I be sadly witnessing such displays. To top it all off, the philosopher and I would be able to further reduce our carbon foot-prints, put more of our ethical beliefs into practice, enjoy fresh eggs, and get to happily watch the perplexed expressions on our kitties faces day in and day out. Bliss, right?

Quixotic Designs

my favorite thing today.

my favorite wedding ever.

another. awesome. video.

Videos.

Hello Josiah!

still motion video

Welcome to the world, baby!

pothole gardens and other great things...

funny... pathetic.... enraging... bizzare...

why haven't I thought of this before?

cute.

today I feel like a stalker.

Yulia Brodskaya.

wouldn't it be fun

kitchen love.

biscuits and tea...

let there be light

things I'm loving from around the bloggosphere

something new

my imaginary home: details, details, details!

Happy New Year!

bah bah black sheep.

fishing for trouble

my imaginary home is expanding

lan- what?

Quixotic Designs: Invitation Compilation Debut

speaking of...

this too shall pass...

Derelict Chic

then and now

weddingbee flowers

this is sweet.

why I love the holidays, part one

funny lady

Halloween!

cute.

This is Awesome.

keep calm and carry on

Holidays are Sweet.

sweet house, sweeter treehouse.

Mac...

a special delivery dissected!

hotness.

mixed messages and why I am so great

Narcissistic Pickle Tycoons, Bioslavery, and John Moore's Spleen

don't get me started... not yet

kidease

Two things.

booksbooksbeautifulbooks

Create.A.Swap

the imaginary tour continues

golden glen creamery

a day at the fair grounds

a new tradition...

still dreaming of beautiful dresses...

sending sunshine to an unsuspecting stranger...

welcome to my imaginary home... a partial tour of things to come

Ummm... I've been gone a while.

i need to move to Sweden.

sewing up a storm

moo.

i didn't do it but i dug it

better than recycling.

interesting article from the NYT

the countdown begins

new ride.

learn something new

food envy, raw goodness

tire-ing out.

racing in circles

a closet of clothes and nothing to wear...

i hate nature... moving in where it doesn't belong

** Screaming from a Rooftop **

pretty paper and other things

i think...

somewhere along the way I turned into a hippie

check mate.

Congratulations Janell!!

a house is more than a home

Screaming from a Rooftop