Eric says no...

...but I say maybe.

Endless Summer

2 month countdown begins...

I have a blog!

Unfortunately, Facebook has made me a lazy blogger. I need to step away from that little internet vortex...

Kim graduated this past month, and Kelsey just turned 16. All the little girls are young women now. Time and I have a different relationship these days, and it's always one upping me.

Graduation weekend, I stole some pictures from Kim's bulletin board to scan. After a recent iPhoto crash and burn, I have new appreciation for the real thing.

Here are some of my favorites, the first two belong to Kim, the last one is a picture of my mom that I've had on my wall for years.

What lovely women they all are!

The end to my four day weekend and an addiction I didn't need.

Ah, Monday - Sunday... which one are you again? Four day weekends are the best.

After a whirlwind trip to Norfolk, VA, serious time-zone shifting and a Jäger bender, I was happy to be home on Friday.
Of course the weekend went by too damn fast, but it was full.

Grease on Saturday and and Forecast on Sunday with these two lovely ladies. Highlights of the show included Moth Love and Frocky Jack Morgan. I'm a fool for a bright red feather.

Unfortunately, the show made me shoe hungry and now I've tracked down my spring shoe dream team. Why to you have to taunt me with hassle free returns Zappos!? I'm not too much of a shoe addict... I'm a girl who finds the one perfect pair of shoes and wears them every day until they fall apart. Despite the dollars, these pairs are making me want to expand my rotation.

Here's a little eye candy for the ladies; two cute numbers from Camper and a nice versatile pair of Dansko boots:






Hope you had a great weekend! Eric and I will be grilling tonight. Stop on by if you love us!

The Power of Crystals: More Ridiculous Coins

The Power of Crystals: More Ridiculous Coins

You've got to love Seth. He's masterful at making one laugh.

He's the Laughmaster.

Ringading Spring!

Oh, how you tease...

Etsy Love: Ihamai

Looking for some high quality pillow covers - I hit the jackpot. Ihamai . Beatuiful fabrics in this Finnish Etsy store.

Marimekko too! I don't know about you but I am so grateful and excited for spring. These prints will bring on the sunshine even in some of the rainier days to come.





Saturday. Bonnie and I had breakfast at Toast (delicious) and made a trip to Ikea, and we probably shouldn't be left alone in a place like that - but we found some amazing fun things.

What a wonderful weekend. Thank you sunshine!

Love Letter

I just stumbled across an Erica Weiner's Etsy shop featuring electro plated letterpress necklaces. The designer had the good fortune of locating a treasure trove of old movable iron type during a work-study program at the New York Center for Book Arts. Originally used on hand-cranked Vandercook Proof Presses, these letters have been given new life.

Although September is still a little way off, I think this would make an excellent 5 year anniversary gift. K & E ... hint, hint.

Find them here and here.

Ghost in the Machine

Impressive cassette tape art from iri5 via Flikr, here
Thanks for the tip-off Nate!

Code of Conduct

On a quest for a pair of curtains that I have created in my head, I stumbled across Nienke Sybrandy's website and had to share:







One of the best uses of ASCII code I've ever seen... Her website is amazing, If only I spoke Dutch!

Rising above the chaos...

Life has been busy in the typical, monotonous way that nobody else ever really wants to hear about. On the day job front, I've been working my tail off and have been rewarded with more responsibility and a raise, which in this economy is nothing to shake a stick at. Unfortunately, this has made me a bit of a hermit that can never seem to get enough sleep.

Creatively...I'm in a rut. I'm overwhelmed with chores and never ending projects, I haven't made jewelry in a while. I feel disorganized and sleepy. Luckily, a few sunny days have ushered in the promise of spring, and I realize that I need to get moving and take control of the chaos.

Yesterday, I cut out of work early and set out to the top of Tabor with Bonnie for a nice 2 hour walk. I'm excited to get out doors more, I've been cooped up for too long. I want the barbeque's and Popsicles.

Soon.

Note to Torre.

17.

It's a good age. You'll get to know yourself better. I think 17 for me was when I figured out the most fundamental aspects of life. There were sweet little life lessons. New BFFs. Pay attention. Have some fun.

You and me. We're the same. I love you.

My Girls

My little baby sisters are all grown up. I feel like a proud parent of a sort. From the age of 12 - 15, my mom had three baby girls. I was quick to learn how difficult babies can be, especially when there's three of them. Occasionally, strangers mistook me for a teenage mother, which would mortify me.

Kim was the oldest and my live baby doll. One baby was almost easy, three babies was another story. My brother and I helped my mom with raising the girls. It really does take a village. At times I act more like a parent than a sister, which can be difficult for the girls (Kim especially) to take.

But hey, I got them dressed, kissed their knees, and wiped their tears. I splashed with them in the kiddie pool. I got sweet little notes from them when I was far away. Here's one from Kim in December of 1999. She was about to turn 9:



Now she's picking out colleges and getting her senior pictures taken. I can't believe they are now young women, all of them unique and incredibly intelligent. Kim is a force to be reckoned with. It's true what they say, they grow up so fast.

Happy 18th Birthday Kim. I love you like my own.

Dream home

I often fantasize about having a bedroom with only a bed and large open space. Since we live in a 1906 bungalow and space is limited, this is a bit of a pipe dream.



Carrying on with this elusive notion, wouldn't an indoor sauna be nice?

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - As Tall as cliffs - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

I like these guys. Whiskey bottles and suitcases as instruments... how can you resist?
Plus, another addition to my hand clap mix.

I want a Mogwai for Christmas

I've had a serious hankering for watching Gremlins this Christmas season, so much so that I made a special trip to Fred Meyer to satisfy my craving.

I have to say this is one of my favorite Christmas movies ever, and since I totally geeked out and watched the commentaries immediately following the film last night - here are 3 fun facts I'd like to share with you:

1. Gremlins was filmed on the exact same sound stage as Back to the Future. I thought Kingston Falls' town square looked familiar!
2. This movie brought about the creation of a PG-13 rating. Previously, it went from PG to R...
3. In the original script, Gizmo becomes a gremlin himself... but when it was tested at a showing, the fuzzy little guy was just too adorable not to keep him around throughout the entire film.

Oh Gizmo... how I love you so!

Press play.

I played in the snow. Eric played with open shutter.

It's snowing (again)

As you locals recall, last Sunday we woke up to a winter wonderland as we prepared to make our way to Crafty Wonderland. I think Ryan Berkley must be some sort of sage, because he foresaw the wintry landscape well before the rest of us did.

I took some wonderful photos of the house and my jewelry display for Crafty (thanks to all you sweet souls who came to visit me!) We had a wonderful day and I love how Portland feels in a snow storm. Unfortunately our iPhoto managed to eat all of those glorious pics up and they seem to be lost forever.

Luckily, we are seeing a bit of a repeat today. Unluckily, the Handmade NW Winter Solstice fair was cancelled. Here are some wintry shots of our home taken earlier this morning. With a new roof and paint job, I think it's looking pretty good these days!






I also shot some video of me trying to coax the kitties outside. I will not subject you to the awful pitch that my voice can reach when speaking with them...so no video sharing today!

Mixed metals.

I'm loving the newest pieces I have made for Crafty Wonderland.

Above is a sneak peak. Old vintage enameled components have been paired with bright sterling, oxidized sterling, vermeil, rubies(!)and 14k gold fill.

See you tomorrow!

Animal Collective, take me away.

#82.2 - ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - Another White Singer
by lablogotheque

Screw Calgon. These guys are better than a bubble bath. They have a way of taking me outside of my head, and then back in again.

That 80's commercial has always stuck with me, and it was a terrible ad campaign. Those words have actually entered my mind when I find myself irritated in my dreary cubicle. I remember my Barbies screaming that catch phrase into the universe when their little plastic babies wouldn't go to bed.