Shopping Cart Friday

It's another Shopping Cart Friday and I am on task! It happens to be a beautiful sunny day here in Portland, so what better way to pay tribute to the sunshine than by sharing the summery items I have been eyeing affectionately for the past week.

First up is a sweet airy top created by Katsai, a Barcelona based seamstress with an amazing knack for form and color. If you haven't added her to your Etsy favorites, do it now. I find her design truly unique and inspiring, and love the gathered waist for a faux tuck effect.



Next, with the sun finally out I am eyeing this wonderful sun hat by Sookie. Sun kissed cheeks will compliment the feminine hue of this head wear nicely.



Last but certainly not least is this amazing satchel created by none other than Bonspiel Creations. I am the proud owner of an English Riding Jacket andMadame Butterfly Top. I love how she incorporates screen print designs into all of her mediums, and can safely say she is among my top 3 favorite Etsy folks. This Antler Satchel is tempting my index finger to push the "buy" button more and more every day.

Oh my!

I think I am developing (or perhaps deepening) my love for 18th century French design mixed with modern edge. Over the top femininity combined with urban design is a killer combination that I just can't pass up...and since I have missed 2 shopping cart Friday's I figure I would share my latest Etsy purchases.



Lauren K Roberts is a kind lady in London with amazing, dare I say brilliant design. I just picked up this beautiful number from her and after a weekend's worth of wear and compliments, I can safely say this necklace was a wise purchase. Her entire collection is amazing and I already have my eye on at least two other pieces (pictured below). Check out her shop on Etsy and prepare for some serious wanting.




Second on my list is the amazing Fillmore shirt I bought from Rose La Biche:



I don't think this shirt could be any more adorable.

'Rose La Biche' (translates to 'Rose The Doe') is the creative outlet of a French designer (Lucy) based in San Francisco. I feel like her creations are an answer to my quiet prayers for striking yet comfortable fashion. Everybody needs at least one of her creations...

This is another shop that I check back on almost daily. I cannot wait so see the new line currently being photographed in NYC, the anticipation is killing me.

Shopping Cart Friday

Oh sadly neglected blog, I'm sorry for abandoning you.

Here I am at home on a rainy Friday, dedicating some time to my Etsy shop...and I came up with a wonderful idea - Shopping Cart Friday.

For all I know there is some Flikr Group already dedicated to this, but if you are like me, you enjoy window shopping at Etsy. I routinely put a number of things in my cart, but refuse to check out. Right now I am being ferociously tempted by Gemmafactrix's Bauble and Bubble Gum rings...they are so lovely.

This is what I want for my birthday Eric, don't you think I deserve them!

Pardonne Moi

This one's for Robin.

The gent can be a bit painful to watch at times, but the guitar is pretty and the passengers on the bus are wonderful in their everydayness. You feel like you are on the bus. In France. Instantly.

The French language reminds me of Robin in general. I like to watch Robin speaking in French. She makes language visible.

It was sunny and almost warm in Portland today. I wish you were here.

Just another reason to love Sufjan...

...not that I needed one.

I love this Innocence Mission cover care of Blogoteque.

*Sigh*

This is a feeling that never gets old.

I've been featured on the front page of Etsy 3 times this month. Everytime I see it I can hardly believe my eyes. It makes me jump around the room in excitement. It makes me late for work.

I feel lucky.

Thank you.

I made the front page!

Can you spot me?

I'm ready for spring.

The sun was shining for a moment while I was photographing my newest creation, and then it was gone. It was nice while it lasted.

Hope on Foster after all

For those of you familiar with Portland geography, I have been living in the Foster/Powell neighborhood for a few years now. I bought a house in May of 2004 because the house was cute and the neighborhood was still affordable (granted, sketchy in pockets.) It has managed to feel like home.

You can imagine my satisfaction when an amazing restaurant finally popped up within short walking distance from my home. Bar Carlo, I am in love.

Self serve Stumptown coffee, big windows, savory food. It brings new, added pleasure to my weekends. Quality of life has improved.

Even better, it has opened my mind up to brick and mortar jewelry/art/craft business dreams. I am tired of the Corporate rat race and the politics.

I want to live the dream. Come'on Foster Road. Show me some love.

Etsy Love: Shannon Gerard

I am now finally coming to terms with the fact that I don't write often enough about some of the hidden gems I have come accross on Etsy, and that needs to change! As a result, it's high time that I give one of my favorite Etsians, Shannon Gerard, the public praise she deserves.

A few months back one of her zines made it to the front page of Etsy, for which I am extremely greatful. Otherwise, I may have never found her. It was the artwork on the front cover that drew me in. I know exactly what that hug feels like. After reading the description in the listing for Hung 3 (Lonely Tylenol), I knew I had to have it.

Not only is her artwork beautiful and her humor sincere, her writing is absolutely gorgeous. I saw myself in this story. She captured every emotion perfectly.

Beyond her seemingly limitless talent, she has a shop on Etsy: shannongerard.etsy.com.

It's good for the heart. Take a peak.

Don't be a cheap ass bastard.

I just found out Quasi is playing a 5 dollar show at Dante's on 11/15, this upcoming Thursday night. Thats right, *$5.00* show.

When does that ever happen? Never.

Don't pass up a good thing.

Oh my, Sunset Rubdown on Tuesday!

I cannot wait! I feel like an antsy schoolgirl. I can say with utmost confidence that this is my favorite band. My heart fills up everytime I think of them.

I am also relishing in the fact that the majority of the world still does not know of them...which is a terribly selfish thing to do. Don't get me wrong, I do wish them the greatest success. But for now I have the cozy feeling that it's my little secret for the time being, the wonderful stretch prior to them becoming famously popular and forcing me to suffer through another crowded show at the Crystal.

But for now I can snuggle close to the stage and drink in their amazing sound and trick myself into believing that it's all for me.

If you don't have their new album, Random Spirit Lover, buy it now. If you have absolutely no idea who I am talking about, start with their first recordings.

Tuesday! Hawthorne Theatere. My heart might implode.

Family Harris

When staying in Chicago, be sure to pay a visit to the Harris family. These folks do family well. It was such a great treat to watch this unit in action.

You two are fantastic parents. I really can't imagine anything more wonderful.

Watching one of my oldest friends with a child is confusing for me at times. I feel perpetually torn between wanting children and fearing motherhood. And wanting motherhood, then fearing children. I am ready one day, and a complete mess the next. It's very confusing.

Max is an absolute delight. He is one of the most beautiful people I have ever let eyes on. Making him smile is truly fulfilling. And scary.

My birthday came early...

At least gift wise. My birthday isn't until September, but I have been obsessing over these rings and couldn't take it any longer. I had to take the plunge. They were crafted by the truly amazing Brooke Medlin of gemmafactrix fame. Oh, how I adore her work.

I feel like I am a fumbling freshman in the jewelry world, while she is the ultra cool senior...the one with the amazing hair and killer fashion sense. You know the one.

Brooke, you're amazing, ... and I can't wait to wear this fantastic creation!

It's Negative!

I don't have cancer, and it's about time my family experienced a biopsy with happy results.

I've been wearing a bra practically non-stop for 192 hours, and I will tell you that sports bras worn for that length of time will make you want to kill.

Once the healing is over, I am seriously considering going braless for the rest of the summer.

New in the shop...

I have an obsession for these speckled vintage glass beads... They aren't easy to come by, so if you spot them anywhere, let me know!

Surgery

I finally took the little bugger out.

Or had it taken out, I should say. I've had a strange lump in my breast for years, and my suspicion is that it had something to do with a decade's worth of birth control pills. It used to come and go like a traveling visitor, but eventually it would just stick around to make everyone nervous. I had been really hesitant about having it cut out, mostly for the sake of vanity. I am a little embarrassed about that since it makes me sound trite, but my breasts are NICE. Really nice. If you saw them, you'd understand.

So eventually I came to my senses and decided that I needed to approach this thing just like anything else. Deal with it, get rid of it, and move on. I've been pretty good about confronting my fears lately and being honest with myself. It's not in my nature to let the bullshit pile up, and I realized this shouldn't be any different.

So on 6/21, I said goodbye to the strange little ball of denial that had taken up residency my right breast.

Surgery was a new experience. It felt futuristic, like an Aldous Huxley novel...but cozier. I enjoyed the sweet complements dished out by my crazy nurse, and the magical "warming blanket." It was a little private little hot air tent for my body, like a little fire at my feet... like my favorite line in En Gallop.

It was over before I knew it, and recovery hasn't been too bad. I haven't seen my right breast yet, it's mummified under layers of gauze, but I know its there quietly resting and healing. Despite the scar, no matter how strange, I know I did good by her.

Now I wait for the biopsy results. Wish me luck.

Sunday - Lov.li Craft fair!

Come say hello! I am very excited about this venue. Well, it's fair to say that I love every craft show that I get the opportunity to be a part of. It's a great way to meet new talented artists, plus trading with these folks is fun!

See you tomorrow?

Calling off the jam

I have to admit, I really enjoy roller derby. Sure, there's been a lot of hype about it, and part of me wanted to reject something that the counterculture poster children would be so ready to latch onto. After all, there was the reality show, the Maxim articles, in addition to the fact that the entire organization's uniforms could be supplied by Hot Topic...

But hey, I love my brother...so Hot Topic can't be THAT bad.

I think what I love most about Rollerderby is that music plays a huge role. I feel like I am in the early 80's, drinking my beer on metal bleachers, checking out all the tail. Popular hair band and glam rock tunes are pumping at all times... It's a game with a soundtrack, and that I can respect.

Come to think of it, the only time I can remember honestly getting into a basketball game was when I was watching Hoosiers with it's lilting score at a cinaplex with my dad. Give me a little Eye of the Tiger, and I become a raging boxing fan.

Eric has a theory that there are music fans, and there are sports fans. While there maybe varying degrees, the graph looks something like this:

...and because of my obsession with Japan

I had to give these earrings a Japanese name.

Japan!

The day is drawing near. I have wanted to go to Japan since I was a young girl. I started learning the language at 14 years old, but I've never had the opportunity or good fortune to go, until now.

The good news is I have the language stuck somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain. I have funny dreams where I speak pigeon nihongo, and my verbs are conjugated into elaborate endless droning.

City life with Bonnie and Driscoll, what could be better? I can't wait to experience Tokyo with two of my favorite people in this world. A few days into our trip, Eric and I are breaking away from Tokyo to Kyoto for 3 days, with a day trip to Hiroshima thrown in there somewhere. I am going to eat lots of fish, drink lots of sake, and sing karaoke like crazy.

I promised a good friend that I would figure out the following sentence:

Sumimasen, bendingumashiin wa bishoujo no andaawea doko ni arimasuka?
(my) translation: Excuse me, where are the vendingmachines which have the beautiful girl's underwear?

If I've got that sentence right, I’m in good shape.

Little Man Syndrome

It's an epidemic, and one that I have little patience for.

I'm in the process of trying to sell my car, so I decided to give it an overdue wash. After a long day of work, I drive past my house and head up to 82nd, a little piece of hell in it's own right.

About a block before the car wash, a big Pontiac juts out right in front of me forcing me to slam on my breaks. Then, half way out in the road he just sits there as I try to move around him. I glare at him as I pass.

After following me to the exit, and through the carwash, the guy actually has the nerve to pull up next to me at the vacuuming station, get out of the car and confront me while I am minding my business, disposing of nasty melted lipgloss and other strange debris.

The man is a good 4 inches shorter than me, and for those who don't know it, I'm not exactly a tall girl.

littleman: I can't believe you, don't you accept it when people make a mistake?

He proceeds to yell at me for giving him a dirty look, and I begin to tease him for having that bother him so much that he had to follow me into the parking lot and talk to me about it.

I tell him he doesn't know me or what I'm about, or what kind of day I had. He’s lucky that a dirty look is such a great offense. He says he doesn't care what I’m going through, so I chide him about being such a big man, defending his pride at the carwash.

He walks away and I go about my work, but he comes back. He tells me to act my age (not sure what he thought that was) and I tell him, Fine. I'm sorry, so sorry. I apologize. Now walk away littleman, walk away.

My hands were shaking. If I was a guy, there would be no way in hell he would have had the balls to get out of his car. I was so upset once I got home. I just don't understand. And littlemen usually like me. Me and my perfectly placed RACK.

Monterey Bay

Last week Eric joined me on a business trip to Salinas. We stayed in Monterey and while I gave presentations about the future of inbound call strategy for HSBC North America, Eric explored beach culture. We stayed through Saturday and Eric and I visited the Monterey Bay aquarium, something I have been meaning to do for a while now.

This was probably my last trip to Salinas for a very long time. It was wonderful to spend it with the only person who could find it cute when I get weepy during the last few minutes of an episode of Ghost Whisperer, even though I didn't watch the whole episode and had absolutely no connection with the characters.

On our last day, we caught a hideously entertaining musical act. You can watch it here. Notice that I used the word "hideous."

Damn, these went fast.

I've had one of those days that makes you feel like you really need a nice pat on the back. My answer? Shameless self-promotion.

Scandinavian kitch, straight from the source.

I just bought this amazing recycled army bag from a lovely woman in Amsterdam. Her bags are wonderful.

Do yourself a favor and take a moment to pay a visit to Katrina Kaye's shop.

She just had a baby and should be listing new items very soon...

This is everything.

When the other shoe drops...

Is it because I am always quietly waiting for the other shoe to drop that it inevitably does? Am I being punished for being a pessimist in optimistic sheep's clothing? And why do these things always occur in threes? Can anybody answer these questions for me?

Things have been going great for me lately…amazing in fact. My jewelry business has been picking up steam, got a great promotion at work, and I have been really happy lately. Maybe I was getting cocky, a little to fancy for my britches, and so the universe decided to intervene...

This morning was exceptional. Woke up earlier than I have in months, made myself some coffee, and felt like I had a real handle on things. That’s when my iPod slips from the case and falls face flat on the kitchen floor. I picked it up and heard little ipod sprinkles bouncing around inside. I turned it on, it made a crunching noise, and gave me this look asking, “Why did you take me for granted. Why?”

Let's see. What else happened today. Oh ya, Found out my dad has melanoma and re-confirmed that my ex-sissy/boss is a moron.

That about covers it!

If I had more time on my hands...

I would make these little eggies. Bonnie-chan, project time!?

There is an adorable shop on Etsy where a woman creates crochet patterns for items that make my heart flutter, anapaulaoli - check it!

2007 off to a good start

Things are in full swing. In order to keep idle hands busy while I miss my good friends in faraway places, here's some of the pretties that have found good homes this week:

Merry Christmas

I got everything I wanted for Christmas - I made my first overseas sale!

I am shipping some pretty earrings off to a nice lady in Paris tomorrow. I love the idea of some elegant French woman walking delicately over cobblestone as these jewels swing in the sun.

New in the shop...

I am noticing a distinct thread in my work...Springtime-thirst. It seems far off now, but soon. Soon.

The last piece is my ode to winter, it does have it's pretty moments, despite the cold.

Etsy's Down

I have become so dependant on Etsy, it's frequent periods of downtime has really made me borderline. But on the bright side, I have been productive...

More, more, more!

Don't worry. I'll keep it clean.

Let's get down to business

I'm getting started...Now that I will not spend the better part of time in Salinas. Business travel is for the birds.

I have been hunched over wire cutters and chain links for my last few weekends at home, feeding the dormant OCD tendencies that I luckily suppressed in the 11th grade.

My goal is to make enough money to purchase the materials, letting my hobby pay for itself. I want to do something modern, simple, elegant, and most importantly, accessible.

My only marketplace is Etsy, and my work can be found at my online shop, listed under kspell - what else? I hope you like what I have done! I am still moving in, so more is to come, soon, very soon...

28 years, 4 days.

I'm not sure what it is about the particular month of September, but I always seem to find myself in a lot of stress. When I was growing up I switched homes and schools every few years, so September always signified a new beginning. I was born in September, got married in September. Everything significant always happens in this month.

The last few days of this new year are no exception. I have been under a lot of stress. I have a constant ache in my stomach. My professional and family life are uncertain. I missed dancepod.

If I seem out of sorts of late, it will pass. Eric and YOU friends are the most functioning, healthy part of my life. My new year resolution starts now. I am going to go to Loyly once a week and will never miss an event like dancepod again. I will take my vitamins and sleep at least 8 hours a night. I will have you over for dinner more often.

Damn. Kittie's got BLING.

Sunset Rubdown

If you looking for something new to listen to, check this band out. You can hear an amazingly long and blissful song simply by clicking your sweet little mousie right here.

If you already know this song because you love Wolf Parade too, then good for you. You and me are on the same page.

I promise you, this isn't a plug for myspace - that was so June 16th. I'm totally over it. Feel free to push that button, get out of your chair, lay on the floor, close your eyes, and listen.

私自身衣替

雨季（うき) / the rainy season
雨が降りそう（あめがふりそう/ It looks like rain
雨雲（あまぐも) / a rain cloud
衣類（いるい) / clothing, garments
衣替え（ころもがえ) / a seasonal change of clothing

A PLAN is in the works, but I can't tell you what it is. Not yet. Wish me luck.

I'll keep you posted.