andrea kristeen

anniversary 3

2012-01-31T18:00:00.000-08:00

Time flies, but in the best way.

new project: christmas stocking

2011-11-19T07:31:00.001-08:00

I haven't sewn in about fifteen years, but I finally jumped in. After spending some time checking out already-made Christmas stockings for our plus one, I decided that I was not going to spend $50 on a beautiful one. Or $25 on a "cheap" one. It's a sock, friends. Not even a pair of socks. One sock.

As you may have noticed, I can't bear to spend more than ten dollars on a stocking. This is why I once squealed with delight and purchased two stockings online from Crate & Barrel for $5.95, failing to read the dimensions beforehand that clearly stated they were only three inches long.

Yet, a good Christmas stocking simply cannot be made out of that thin polyester "felt," either. This kind of price versus quality quandary is what always, inevitably, leads me down the path paved by Gloria Gaynor in 1975. (Do it yourself.)

I borrowed my mom's old sewing machine, a Holiday Crafting magazine from my aunt, spent $2.62 on a couple yards of fabric and about five dollars on embroidery miscellanea. (I love how cheap these materials are, unlike paint and brushes.)

Embroidering probably took me five hours, since I had no idea what I was doing, and I made a ton of mistakes because I didn't use an invisible pen to draw my design. But it was fun and relaxing. It's like drawing with thread, and if you know me, you know that I like any kind of "drawing" - especially with alternative materials.

I couldn't find (or recognize) the pattern referenced in the crafting magazine, so I just traced around a Christmas stocking I bought at Target a couple years ago. It worked fine. The actual sewing was interesting, because I can barely stand to practice anything before I start right in. It turned out that I couldn't really sew along a curve. But that was okay, because thread isn't like paint. I ripped a bunch of stitches out and kept trying, with an imperfect but much more pleasing result.

I made many other mistakes, but overall this was a simple beginner project. It was also very satisfying and totally festive. I recommend making one of these with an eggnogg latte by your side, listening to Nat King Cole Christmas. Because that may or may not have been what I did.

itty-bitty things I'm thinking about

2011-10-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

A month ago, our astute ultrasound technician discovered that our little nugget already has hair. As in, long hair that was actually visible on the sonogram. I was startled, since I've always assumed I would make little bald babies like myself. I guess the news took a while to sink in, because another month has passed and it finally occurred to me that I might actually be able to utilize those tiny things known as baby hair clips. (!)

I just took a cursory look at some on Etsy, and I have to tell you - they've come a long way, although you can still buy the ones we wore as kids, if you're inclined toward nostalgia... and plastic. Personally, I am loving that today's babies are bedecked in natural materials in an array of lovely colors. Here are some of my favorites:

Crocheted floral hair clip by tumbleweedkids
This has me dreaming about learning to crochet. I'll add it to my list of things to learn over maternity leave.

Embroidered wool felt poppy clip, also by tumbleweedkids
I am astounded by how pretty this is.

Wooden birdie and felt butterfly clips by paperdoll accessories

Miniature grosgrain ribbon bow clips by sophie's boutique

And last but not least, I think my favorite is this little felt bear clip by May Crimson:

pretty broken things

2011-10-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

It slipped my mind that my brother was in a second band until a few months ago. I was at a show for HBIM, when I had the pleasure of meeting a whole bunch of incredibly nice people from Pretty Broken Things, and I put two and two together.

After the show, I wandered over to the band facebook page. The music is as lovely as the people. Spare yet sweeping, lush yet raw, crisp, lucid and a little haunting - that's the only way I can describe "Our Story." You can have a listen and even download it for free here.

If you're visual like me, you might also be interested in pretty photos of the group rehearsing over at Amber Zbitnoff's blog.

Photo belongs to the band facebook page.

highlight: knittybutton, or baby's first toy

2011-10-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Not very long ago I asked Knittybutton, a.k.a Ali, to knit a bunny for the baby. It is her very first toy. It needed to be special.

I couldn't be more pleased! I can't even tell you how cute this thing is. So, I have to show you instead.

It's a little gray bunny with a pink hoody. The hoody is removable! It's perfect. It's adorable. I would have never thought of it on my own. That's the beauty of dealing with someone creative. "Is a gray bunny too plain?" "Well, how about I make a pink hoody for it, just in case?"

I might have to ask Knittybutton make a hoody for the baby, too.

Wouldn't that be too much?

**Yes, that is a sliver of a bottle of whiskey in the first photo. Age appropriate comforts sitting next to each other? Just kidding.

inspiration: clare newberry

2011-10-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have taken to collecting Clare Newberry books. The first, Mittens, I discovered by chance at Tacoma Book Center while sorting through used books over a lunch break. While the story itself is terrific, I (of course) was absolutely smitten with the illustrations. I guess it wasn't just because, as a little girl, I was smitten with kittens. The New York Times also praised the book, calling Mittens' 1936 ink drawings "the very best cat pictures that have ever been made." High praise for something so humble as cats.

I went back to the Book Center some time later with a friend and discovered Barkis, which won the Caldecott Honor in 1938. The charcoal, pencil and watercolor wash illustrations are so breathtaking.

I love coming across the old and wonderful by chance. Both of these books were published when a loaf of bread cost eight cents, our country was lingering between wars, and the depression was still underway. Come to think of it, things don't feel much different to me now, except for the part about bread, and the fact that the vast majority of children's book art isn't what it used to be.

While the art may truly suit the text, I have found that so many of today's children's book illustrations are ugly, gestural, angular, loud, and otherwise unlovely - really, unloved, if that's not too far a stretch - and they don't ask for more than a quick flip through. What I love about Clare Newberry's illustrations is the obvious time, talent, and pure joy of seeing poured into them. Although Newberry's pictures are simple, they tell so much, evidencing hours of practice and of studying the minute details until the characters came alive.

While I don't think that realism is the best and only style, I do believe that Newberry's commitment to realism continues to say so much about persistence, and about truly seeing. I don't know that today's children have enough opportunities to absorb that message in such a captivating and disarming way.

So, when I see old books as lovely as these, I have to snatch them up, intend to read them to my children often, and hope that the visual messages sink in just as much as the stories.

Highlight: Elly Mackay

2011-09-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

So, several months ago I posted on Facebook about how much I love Elly Mackay's artwork, and my friend ever so generously bought me two of her pieces to hang in the baby's room! I recently had the art professionally framed, which was the first time I've ever professionally framed anything by myself. In college, my mom used to "rescue" my artwork that was littered all over my apartment under threat of being thrown away. She'd frame my stuff to save it from certain death (Thanks, Mom). Anyway, framing these was a little intimidating, but I am so happy with the finished product!

Elly Mackay is a totally inspiring artist. She paints these storybookish figures and sets them in a diorama, adding real water and playing with different lighting to get just the right effect before she photographs the scenes. I think the results are thoughtful, beautiful, and even a little melancholy. I am so excited for our kid to grow up looking at these.

a meme for the day

2011-09-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

I don't usually fill these things out, but since I'm woefully behind in posting anything of value I thought I'd tackle this meme just to prove to myself that I can still type.

And just for reading, here's a lovely watercolor painting I found on Etsy called Don't Let Me by Sally Harless in Indiana. I love Etsy. And watercolor. And elephants.

A. Age: 27 (Wow)
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore that you hate: Dusting. I'll do all the dishes, scrub the stove and vaccuum the whole house before I get to dusting.
D. Dogs: Someday I hope to get a dog. But only when I have a house and my baby is out of diapers.
E. Essential start to your day: This used to be coffee. I have yet to find a reasonable replacement.
F. Favorite color: Right now, turquoise. May I nominate turquoise as the new pink? Because baby girls look so darn good in turquoise.Not too blue, not too green...
G. Gold or Silver: I used to be exclusively into gold, but now I like both.
H. Height: 5’4"
I. Instruments you play: I don't "play" anything (that makes it sound like I am good, or practice), but I can sort of play the piano, flute, guitar and melodica. And vox. I am very good at singing along to Motown hits in the car.
J. Job title: Administrator.
K. Kids: Have one cooking right now.
L. Live: In an apartment in a suburb of Tacoma.
M. Mother’s name: She would hate if I put that on the internet.
N. Nicknames: I don't have a lot of these. AJ is one I've had for a long time.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Nothing too dramatic. Had a couple diagnostic procedures done that required an overnight stay, but really, who wants to hear about my colonoscopy.
P. Pet peeves: There are so many that I try to put out of my mind. Top of the list: being gushed over and/or smothered, dogs that jump up on me, unnecessary wait times, etc. etc.
Q. Quote from a movie: "You're so cool. You're so cool. You're so cool."
R. Right or left handed: Right.
S. Siblings: Three. All great people.
U. Underwear: Really? This reminds me of 9th grade internet "questionnaires" that were really just excuses to email boys.
V. Vegetable you hate: I don't think I like eggplant. And big, pithy, raw tomatoes. But really, I haven't met a vegetable I didn't like.
W. What makes you run late: Playing on the computer, and overall forgetfulness.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Dunno. My stomach hates me so we've endured lots of tests together.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Umm. I make a pretty great pot pie from scratch.
Z. Zoo animal: Elephants. They're smart. Did you know they can paint?

delightful and non-alcoholic

2011-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in the game - now introducing delightful non-alcoholic summer drinks. Where were these on the fourth of July when I was crying into my ice water?

Or you could just splurge on a fancy juice, like the above pictured raspberry lemonade.

Note: I've found garnishes to be very, very important to the overall non-drink drink experience.

illustration: steilacoom farmers' market

2011-08-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

So, I've been working on this design for literally months! My aunt is the fabulous coordinator at the Steilacoom Farmers' Market, and she asked me to come up with a logo for the market. Between both of our busy schedules we managed to come up with this:

It's a bit late in the season to roll it out, but look for it next spring on t-shirts!

looking back: the snowman

2011-07-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

J and I like to reminisce about The Snowman, a beautiful animated film that we both watched around Christmas time as children. The film was originally a children's picture book by British author Raymond Briggs in 1978. In 1982 the book was turned into a film, and the rest is history.

The Snowman has no words except for the song Walking in the Air, which is hauntingly beautiful and has been putting a lump in my throat since I was a small girl.

I love the way that the orchestra perfectly accompanies the gentle illustrations. The film employs traditional animation techniques, which means that each frame was drawn by hand rather than computer animated. The results are stunning and textural.

Images from here, here and here.

inspiration: julia denos

2011-06-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kathy for this wonderful artist, Julia Denos, who says of her illustrations:

When I was a kid, there was nothing so magical or hallowed as the library grounds in summer. Yum. My little wish is that someday the book covers I'm working on finally end up as summer reading: hauled on vacation, fingerprinted with jelly, sandy spine up in the grass under a tree somewhere...

Well put. Julia is a full-time illustrator "in the genres of children's publishing, fashion, web, and print advertising." Sounds good to me. You can read more about her here, as you scroll through her fantastic images like this one I found of Audrey Hepburn. So cute, no?

inspiration: robert mccloskey

2011-06-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Flipping through old children's books this weekend reminded me of all of my old favorites, and no inventory of old favorites would be complete without Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal. McCloskey wrote these books in the forties, but they're absolutely timeless, with simple but lively illustrations.

In Blueberries for Sal, little Sal and her mother go blueberry picking and are joined by a baby bear and it's mother who are also out scouting for berries. McCloskey used one color, dark blue, for these lovely illustrations, then block printed the images.

In Make Way for Ducklings, a pair of mallards set out to raise their ducklings (Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack) in the Boston Public Garden. The book chronicles their attempt to navigate through the busy city of Boston. McCloskey's charcoal drawings, which were lithographed onto zinc plates, are absolutely gorgeous.

Says Wikipedia:

"This story has become an institution in Boston, and in 2003, it was named the official children's book of Massachusetts. In 1987, sculptor Nancy Schön created a bronze version of Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings in the Public Garden, which are climbed on by thousands of children every year. The park is also the site of an annual Make Way for Duckling Mother's Day parade, featuring hundreds of children dressed in the costumes of their favorite characters."

Image from Blueberries for Sal courtesy Little Pea Picking Heart. Image from Make Way for Ducklings courtesy Vintage Children's Books My Kid Loves.

inspiration: beatrix potter

2011-06-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'm inspired lately by Beatrix Potter, whose stories and illustrations have endured for more than 100 years. Who doesn't love The Tale of Peter Rabbit? Squirrel Nutkin? The Pie and the Patty Pan? I could go on and on. What stands out in my memories, as always, are the illustrations:

I need to absorb more of these images. Simple watercolors, inspired by nature - classic and beautiful.

Image taken from The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, where you can download the entire eBook for free!

make stuff together

2011-06-20T13:39:00.001-07:00

I recently started following a blog called CRAFT. It has all sorts of fun projects and all sorts of authors. (By the way, it's linked to a blog called MAKE. Double awesome.) Today CRAFT featured the book Make Stuff Together. It was full of all kinds of practical projects for parents and kids to do together. (Emphasis on practical. Which I love.) I had all these gooey daydreams about making things together as a family. Aww.

I recently started an Amazon baby registry, and I think it's going to simply be used as a living tally of all the books I think our family library needs. The word "need" will become looser over time, I'm sure. But really, friends. I'm an art major and JD is an English major. Our book collection certainly isn't going to get any smaller.

priscilla preus

2011-06-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

My mother's cousin, Priscilla Preus, is a sassy and vibrant lady who does the most incredible abstract oil paintings and gestural watercolors. I love how she uses such vivid colors but manages to balance them so well. Here's my favorite from her latest suite of paintings. It's called The Yellow Table:

Here's a postcard print of The Ice Queen, which is my favorite, I think:

And last but not least, as a wedding present she watercolored this sweet thing for J and I. Handmade wedding gifts can be tricky, but this was so unique to us. It's painted from one of our engagement photos that we included in our wedding invitation:

Priscilla is represented by The Gallery on Bainbridge Island, if you want to visit her paintings in person. Another fun fact - Priscilla shares her full name with my late grandmother, and she shares her first name with one of my sisters. It is fun to have such an unusual, dignified, and yet spunky name in the family.

studio beerhorst

2011-06-11T12:17:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd revisit a family of artists I found years ago on Etsy. Studio Beerhorst is a family of eight, living entirely off the work of their hands in Grand Rapids, MI. I own a copy of their beautiful woodcut print, The Kiss. I've always loved this rugged take on Gustav Klimt's painting of the same name - so earthy and bold.

Studio Beerhorst features a huge array of woodcuts, as well as oil paintings, hand-sewn horses, hooked rugs and whatever else they fancy to make.

I adore these paintings, which appear to be part of a fascinating suite involving different modes of vision. Click the images to purchase via their Etsy shop, or just to have a closer look.

Double Rose

Bird's Eye View

Humming Bird

more felt crafts

2011-06-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

Now that we're expecting our plus one, I've been drawn toward more crafts than arts. I love kid stuff made with materials other than plastic - like wood, cotton, metal, felt, and the list goes on. Recently I discovered these felt food patterns by Gulf Coast Cottage - aren't they cute? (Click the images to go to her Etsy shop.)

Here we have... fruits!

And veggies!

And of course, cupcakes!

There's much, much more on the site. I don't know why I'm drawn to felt lately. I always had this idea that felt was easy to manipulate, until I attempted to make Martha Stewart's felt baby shoes. About five times. Each attempt, only one shoe. Not a great track record.

I might still attempt to make these felt kitchen goodies, but maybe when I have a sewing machine to help me out. (Whip stitching isn't as fun as it was when I was eight.)

personalized stamps

2011-06-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

Just saw these over at Ruche blog. Personalized stamps by Etsy seller Kozue - you send her your photo, and she'll make it into a stamp. What a great idea! She also does pets and signatures. Can't you just see these on save-the-date cards?

papercuts and nikki mcclure

2011-06-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

My good friend over at Helen Louise. recently wrote a post on Nikki McClure. I've been eying her work forever, and I thought she was worthy of a little post over here, too. I first noticed the McClure's work at Eat Local in Seattle, which is a pretty great place for picking up pre-made meals that are about one hundred and two steps up from a tv dinner, and attractive to boot. McClure's work is featured all around the restaurant/store and suits the theme so well - I'm assuming she also did their fabulous logo, too. I just love it.

McClure, as you can read on her website, makes paper cuts. Paper cuts? Yes. These fabulously intricate pictures, which remind me of woodcuts (which I also love) are made entirely from one sheet of paper. (Which I also adore. Anything made with paper. Does this stem from the fact that as a child, my aunt gifted me a huge tome called Made With Paper? I made every single project in that book.)

Anyway, Nikki's paper cuts are made with an X-acto knife and her chosen themes are "motherhood, nature, and activism" - things that translate beautifully into this baby journal my husband bought for my birthday (which is three weeks from now, and I may or may not have gotten excited and started writing in it already). Introducing The First 1000 Days - possibly the classiest and least frilly baby item I've ever laid eyes on:

Here's a page from within. Pretty poppies under the heading "Our Dreams, Wishes & Hopes for You." My heart just melted.

Did I mention that McClure is an Olympia native? And that she started this book after creating a similar one for her own child? It inspires me to keep going with this art thing, at whatever stage and whatever form it takes.

poppies & peonies

2011-06-06T09:42:00.001-07:00

I just love these big, puffy things.

Thanks for the image, Design*Sponge.

on staying creative

2011-06-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

This list from today & tomorrow is great. Some of the items really struck me. Especially #4 - "Get away from the computer," and #6 - "Quit beating yourself up."

letterpress stationery

2011-05-28T17:40:00.001-07:00

Something I've always wanted to try is printing letterpress. I always sort of assumed that it was out of my reach (ahem, for starters, you need an expensive press), but I manage to get my fix here and there by looking at all of the beautiful work featured on Etsy. Do any of you share my particular fondness for pressed paper? I just love the solid colors and clean, minimalist images. Every line is just where it should be.

Here's a patterned birthday card in splashy colors from Fine Day Press.

Or you could have your wedding invitations letterpressed by Lucky Bee Press.

And a stylized glimpse of nature from Dutch Door Press.

can't get enough: citrus

2011-05-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

I've been eating a lot of citrus fruits and their derivatives lately. In particular, I can't seem to get enough of tangy grapefruits and delicious orange juice. Does the baby need extra Vitamin C? Or do I just need something fresh and tart to help banish the queasies? I don't know, but I suppose a little citrus overdose can't be bad.

Image courtesy weheartit.

unbelievable baby product #3

2011-05-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Belly Armor

For a mere $70, you could wrap yourself in a radiation protected blanket. While you're at it, be sure to stay at least three feet from every microwave, and hold your breath every time a truck passes by.

backcountry creamery

2011-05-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

So, a while back I had the pleasure of painting some outdoorsy watercolor pieces for a local artisan cheese company called Backcountry Creamery. Deanna Dargan will be selling her handmade cow's milk cheeses at farmer's markets in the Tacoma area, beginning in August. I've had the privilege of tasting a handful of these cheeses, and let me tell you, they're to die for. I can't wait to scoop them up this summer.

Anyway, my little paintings were transformed into these awesome logos by Graphic Designer Holly Weiman. I'm pretty excited to share them with you. In general, I was pretty thrilled to be part of this project.

Keep your eyes peeled for this banner at farmer's markets around town late summer!

Here are a few of the labels that will be featured on the cheeses:

just gotta say

2011-05-20T00:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like I could out-eat Adam Richman from Man vs. Food. In fact, I think an great offshoot to that show would be Preggers Ladies vs. Food. I'm sure it would get a lot of viewers. This week I'm dreaming of homemade mac n' cheese baked in the oven with huge hunks of ham. Doesn't that sound amazing?

I'm surprised that I'm ever hungry with the amount of food I eat these days, but I guess nothing should surprise me now that my body's been hijacked by a tiny person.

le photoshoot!

2011-05-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

Remember when I said I won a photoshoot via Moorea Seal with Rachel K Sumner Photography? Well, Rachel and I met up a couple weekends ago for a somewhat toned-down Brigitte Bardot-inspired morning. (Since it was free, I had to do something glamorous and memorable!)

I have to admit, between morning sickness and exhaustion, it had been a while since I felt even remotely glamorous. But, I think it was just what the doctor ordered. Rachel is so creative and laid-back. We met several years ago and she is one of those people with sparkle whom you never forget. It was fun to be reunited. I've never felt so comfortable around a photographer! Rachel, I'll be your model anytime.

I'm a little embarrassed to be posting pictures of myself, so here are just a few photos from our shoot.

crow & iris

2011-05-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

My dad recently met a client whose wife makes a great living selling her jewelry at the Fremont Market. I was very inspired when I heard this. Also, I'm proud of my dad for getting the name of this woman's Etsy shop: Crow & Iris. (I have no idea how my dad knows what Etsy is, but it certainly warms the cockles of my heart.)

I love this necklace of chalcedony, moonstone and vesuvianite with mixed metals. So pretty.

And these fluorite and brass earrings. Delicate and yet industrial.

I'll take one of each, please.

unbelievable baby product #2

2011-05-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

Here's something that seems both frivolous and ridiculous, at fifty bucks a pop:

Belly Buds

Does Baby Einstein need to listen to Mozart so badly that you have to hook up these gadgets? Also, since you can't see or hear him/her in there, how do you know if s/he is really appreciating the tunes? My kid is getting a steady stream of 104.5 KMCQ in the car (hits of the 60s and 70s! Yeah!) Won't that be enough?

unbelievable baby product #1

2011-05-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

I've been making baby lists, making baby budgets, and generally plotting, scheming and strategizing longer than I care to admit. You may call me obsessive, but in all my scheming and snooping around, I have found some pretty hilarious products. I've been thinking that I should feature some of these gems in the blog so that you all can appreciate them, too. So, without further ado, today's unbelievable baby product is:

NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator

It's simple, folks. Baby has a stuffy nose? Just slurp it out with your own mouth. I'm assured that there's some sort of valve keeping you from contact with [ahem], but a few angry reviewers say otherwise. And might I emphasize a few - NoseFrida has a five star rating and loyal following anywhere you look. I'm tempted to get one and try it out, but according to my other half, it's a non-negotiable.

quick fix: flower bouquets

2011-05-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

Do you wait until the last minute to buy flower bouquets? I do, and no matter how pretty the flowers are, they're almost always wrapped in plastic. I have a quiet aversion to plastic. It's convenient, but it's just not pretty.

Recently, I bought some bouquets and had the bright idea to re-wrap them. Why had I not thought of this before? I had originally thought of using butcher paper (a la Metropolitan Market), but then I remembered my latest Dollar Store find - lightweight brown wrapping paper with a white vine print.

It was a snap. I laid the bouquet on the paper angled toward a raw corner, cut enough length to wrap the paper around the bouquet, and trimmed the bottom edge so it aligned with the stems. Then I tied a little ribbon around it, although twine would have been nice if I had it. Voila!

No more plastic!

it's time

2011-05-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

It's time to announce the latest project. We finally took the advice of my old neighbor who, after hearing we'd been married two years, told us very frankly: "It's time for babies."

Yes, ma'am, it is. That's right. There's going to be a baby around here.

2011-05-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

Found this great old picture the other day. Don't we all owe so much to our mothers?

today I'm thinking about...

2011-05-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

My home office. It's so nice on sunny spring days.

fabulous

2011-05-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

Been going through old photos I'd never seen before, and found a fabulous little dyptich of sorts, from my fourth birthday. My Opa (German for Grandfather, don't ask me why, he was 100% Norske) put it together. His running commentary cracks me up. Miss you, funny old grandpa.

i'm going to keep posting food

2011-04-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

I like this theme so I'll just keep going with it. Not to brag, but the other day J made this for me. I sat down to eat it and he said:

"I thought you needed something special tonight."

Crush.

more mmm

2011-04-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

I had a craving for Salmon Bisque today, so I made it. I may regret how much half and half that I put in it - but probably not.

mmm

2011-04-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

Did I ever mention that my mom is an amazing cook? Two different kinds of quiche. No gluten. Amazing. I relish each moment that I actually get to eat crust...

forties paper dolls

2011-03-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wish you could share a memorable image from your childhood? I have always had this thing for paper dolls. I've probably hinted to this about a million times, but I realized sometime this week that I'd never actually shared my paper doll story. I'm fairly certain that, in some capacity, my love for all things paper, fashion, and miniature comes from this.

When I was a little girl, my mom kept this stash of paper dolls in a porcelain bowl. I would take them down and play with them constantly. Why my mom let me play with them, I don't know, because they were perfect 1940s-style paper dolls, watercolored by my grandmother.

They were beautiful. The little forties woman with her pin curls and old fashioned underwear sported dozens of wonderful outfits. There were figure fitting dresses, high waisted trousers, quaint fabric patterns, the whole nine yards. Even as I child, I distinctly remember how special those little paper dolls were. I even checked with my mom to make sure I wasn't making this up, and she agreed:

Probably. My dad was born in 1921 and Mom two years later so she would have been in her 20's in the 40's. Makes sense that she would draw/paint 40's style clothes. I think I have movies that her dad took of her at that age. [...] I rem[ember] seeing my mom wading and tucking her full skirt into the leg of her [underwear]. I thought that was funny [because]that's what we would do now and I can't believe she was so daring to do that in the 40's (or 50's)!

My grandmother passed away two years before I was born, so those paper dolls were and are important relics that told me a little about what my grandmother was like.

Eventually the paper dolls disintegrated (probably from my playing with them so much), and I haven't seen them in at least fifteen years. One of my goals has always been to recreate them.

I haven't done it yet, but I think in my work you can often spy little elements of the 40s paper dolls here and there. It's funny what sticks with you and somehow pops up in your work.

four dresses

2011-03-31T07:20:00.001-07:00

some projects take years

2011-03-13T10:12:00.001-07:00

Moving has a lot of downsides, but it also has it's upsides. One of those upsides, for me, was going through all of my artwork. Our old place had lots of deep closets, a.k.a. places to hide unfinished work. This old oil painting had been in the closet for years, and when I took it out, JD decided he wanted to hang it on the wall. It actually looks pretty good:

The painting was never really "finished," but I'm discovering that having it on the wall is a pretty ideal spot for touching it up - even though I have to stand on the couch, and even though I definitely dripped walnut oil down the slipcover already. Oh well. Par for the course in a one bedroom apartment, right? It's pretty fun to actually complete something so old. I'll be sure to post an after picture when I'm done...

just a little advertisement

2011-03-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

If you like arty, crafty, pretty things as much as I do, click over to mooreaseal.com. She is always hosting the best giveaways! It's fun to see what kinds of interesting things artists across the country are dreaming up. I don't often enter giveaways (and rarely win them), but this week I managed to score a session with local photographer Rachel K. Sumner. I couldn't be more excited! Rachel's work is absolutely lovely. I'll be sure to post the results of our shoot!

new equipment and the kindness of strangers

2011-03-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a happy story. But, first, a confession. Actually, two confessions: I don't actually own my own digital camera, and I'm about to embark on some serious photographer nerdery.

First things first, I do own an old SLR film Nikon N80. In photography land, it's a grandma. Whatever. I love Grandma. She's just not very practical these days.

When we got married, I started stealing JD's digital Nikon D40. But, he didn't have an external flash. We managed to hook up his digital camera to my film camera's external flash. It made painful beeping noises and was terribly slow, but it worked (somewhat), until it eventually ran out of juice. Poor little guy.

So, for the past several months (Year? More? I don't know), we didn't have a flash. Which in professional photographer terms means out of commission. I could no longer photograph food, textiles, skin tones, or virtually anything indoors, without some major lighting issues.

What was a busy girl to do? I put camera equipment on the back burner. I just couldn't focus on getting a new flash. I didn't even want to think about the price. Recently, I was asked to photograph a second round of custom wall hangings and upholstery for a seamstress guru I know, a dear lady, and I just had to say no.

Well, one of my coworkers knew about my flash issue. His wife is the seamstress, so he kept asking me about taking the photos. And I just kept saying "No time. No money." Then, out of the blue, this guy made some magic happen. He asked around and hooked me up with another coworker. One hundred and fifty dollars later, I have an external flash made for the D40 and a zoom lens to boot. They both function perfectly. No fussing. No experimenting. No beeps. Nothing broken.

One less thing on my mind. I can't believe it. Three cheers to the kindness of strangers.

katharine asher

2011-03-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

New favorite: Katharine Asher's mesmerizing lines and juicy watercolors. I found her on illustrationweb.com, searching for images that would help me drum up some inspiration for the project I'm currently working on (images forthcoming).

art, or something like it

2011-03-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your feedback on the balancing act. I appreciate your comments. I honestly don't struggle too badly with keeping up on the basics of life, for the moment. I'm mostly concerned with this elephant of a question:

How To Be An Artist With a Day Job, and a Husband, Too.

I think this will be a recurrent theme in my life. In fact, I'm just going to create a label for it. I'll probably be working around this for the rest of my life.

Truth is, it's much easier for me to focus on cleaning and laundry than it is to spend the hours that it takes dreaming up a suite of paintings. Vacuuming and matching socks are more immediately gratifying than slowing down and attempting to tap into the brain space necessary for creative endeavors. (My mental monologue: What if I don't end up creating anything noteworthy? Gah! All that time I could have spent cooking a nice dinner or researching modular storage at IKEA!)

The part of my mind where inspiration and hand-eye coordination lives was much more accessible in college, when it was central to my day-to-day life. Now, it's buried under the more immediately important roles I play: wife, adminstrator, sister, daughter, friend, artist. Notice artist at the end. The more gets tacked on to the front of this list, the harder it is to tap into the art space. The harder it is to tap in, the more my anxiety grows. And now you see the problem.

I'm not sure how other artists arrange their work/family/art lives. I wish we had discussed this issue in school. Why wasn't there a class called Believe it or not, Someday You'll Have a Family, or one called How Responsible People Function As Artists in the Real World? Those would have been extremely helpful.

I need to learn how to integrate this integral part of me. I don't expect any easy answers and I'm not looking for any quick solutions, but I think the first step is to be more open about this. I think the next natural step is to form a community of like-minded artists and creators. The third step is eliminating needless distractions (Facebook, anyone?). Fourth step? Keep trying, I suppose. I'll keep you posted on my efforts.

when it rains, it pours

2011-03-04T06:34:00.001-08:00

A the beginning of the year, I puzzled over ways to reintroduce my art back into my life. I knew it was going to be hard to make time for it, but it needed to be done. You can't just ditch your gift, you know?

Well, here it is the first week of March and I'm in way over my head. Unexpectedly, and all in the span of a few weeks, I was asked to do several different projects. Custom paintings for mother's and father's day gifts. Painted image to be used as a logo for a local cheese business. Photos of a wedding reception. Photos of custom wall hangings and home decor.

It's kind of amazing how much business just barraged into my life. Now I'm overwhelmed! Does anyone have any tips on how to do this with a 40-hour-a-week job? I just moved and I'm still in boxes. Oh, and I need time to be a housewife, too.

hard water

2011-02-24T19:52:00.000-08:00

I love dishes. I don't even like collections but I can't help collecting dishes. If I had more space, I'd collect more dishes. I could go on and on. So, its no surprise that I saw this and squealed:

Crazy installation, isn't it? How do they stay up? By Zeger Reyers.

it's go time

2011-02-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

So, we are all moved and now I'm thinking of all the projects I want to start. I am tired of boxes, relocating, sorting, purging, recycling and researching modular storage units, and am ready to MAKE THINGS! First off: I'm going to celebrate Valentine's day [late] by making gluten free sugar cookies and care packages for my sisters (maybe brother too). Then I'm going to get out the watercolors and do some little drawings. Then I need to get cracking on the children's book illustrations. (I'll leak the title: Moon Hunting. It is so adorable. I can't wait to have more to show you than that sneaky snippet up top.) Last but not least, my darling husband bought me a calligraphy pen and ink for our anniversary. I am chomping at the bit to dig out of the box and get started. I'm envisioning sending lovely cards to everyone I know. (P.S. Who wants a one? Anyone?)

gluten-free girl

2011-02-11T20:14:00.000-08:00

This is amazing. My sister just passed along to me Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef. (Gluten-free girl? Chef? The chef is the gluten free girl's husband. Does this sound familiar to anyone?) I'm so excited to try these recipes. I'm also a sucker for amazing food pictures. Just look at this one:

Pan-seared beef tenderloin with balsamic onions and port sauce. I'm going to make this as soon as possible.

owl silliness

2011-01-31T17:59:00.000-08:00

I used to have a thing for owls. I still think most owl paraphernalia is cute, but I sort of passed along the obsession to my sister. I'm still selling these little owl earrings made of porcelain beads I found (where else?) on Etsy. My mom was a ~~potter~~ ceramic artist so I have a soft spot for porcelain beads. These little owls were just too much. Anyway, someone tagged my owlies in their collection called Owl Cuteness this morning:

She wasn't kidding. That is serious owl cuteness. Click the image to see the treasury full of pretty little owl-themed goodies. That's me on the far left!

we weather storms

2011-01-31T06:05:00.000-08:00

It's anniversary number two. Time flies.

...

first three rings on two fingers
now one ring on the wrong finger
and some other disasters have visited us these two years

though the ogre calamity pounds his fist
onto our door
persistent as the swinging
pendulum of a clock
we weather storms.

one time at night
wound in bedclothes
I imagined
no house and no possessions
and a flood
that came and swept away the bed.

still, I know I could be no happier
with you beside.
floating over flood,
we would lay on our backs and rename
the stars
and constellations
for ourselves

and once tired would embrace,
arms wrapping around bodies,
like wood vines around brick walls
and would petrify,
two bodies made of stone,
interminably intertwined,
cold and still,
but inside a hollow
where we would find
each other,
ourselves,
burning with fire;
a cave like death
but its resplendent opposite:
love, indestructible
cocoon in which
we weather storms.

- JD

calligraphy

2011-01-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking it would be fun to learn calligraphy. I've always loved fonts, letters and all things typed. Sometimes my handwriting tends to look like a font. So, why not learn the real deal? I've been scrolling through a blog called Love, Jenna, getting inspired. How would you like to get a letter like this? I know I would.

Click the photo to go to the Love, Jenna website. It's total eye candy if you admire good penmanship as much as I do.

a fresh coat of paint

2011-01-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that I revamped my blog. Two reasons:

I don't own a website any more, and I needed a place to share my artwork, jewelry, etc.
(Most importantly,) I watched Sunset Boulevard again last night. A certain scene shows a gorgeous 1920's mansion in total disrepair, while the narrator (William Holden, swoon) says,

" A neglected house gets an unhappy look."

Ah! This website is my online home, and it has been sorely neglected and unhappy-looking, as if no one lives here - or maybe a vagrant, occasionally drifting in and mumbling a few words. I wasn't pleased with that situation, but it was the best I could muster at the time.

Today I gave this blog the proverbial fresh coat of paint. Here's to posting more about art & life.

something about me [3]

2011-01-28T11:36:00.000-08:00

I've been told that if I like someone, it's like they're the only person in the world, and if not, it's like they don't exist. It's a strange thing to think about, all around. (How does one remember things that don't exist?) I appreciated the insight, nonetheless: I hate to think that some people are practically invisible to me. (How horrible!)

Recently, I told a friend about this revelation and she said: "Andrea. It's because you're passionate."

That made me feel better. I'm still trying to be more equitable in my interests, but one thing is true: I am passionate about people I love and things I believe in. Everything else sort of exists on the outskirts of my mind. It's intense, but I guess it's not the worst way to be.

something about me [2]

2011-01-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

I don't like talking on the phone.

For some reason I over compensate by sounding like Polyanna.

something about me [1]

2011-01-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

I am a big picture person.

I am not actually very detail oriented.

making music

2011-01-20T07:21:00.001-08:00

Some certain people & I are going to start making music together... I'm excited. I can't contribute much but backup vocals and some piano, but I think it will still be fun. I need more creativity in my life. It's such an effort to get all the art supplies out and then put them all back after a long work week. Anyway, maybe sometime soon I'll have some tunes to post on here. I can't wait!

a private work in progress

2011-01-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

I have been working on illustrations for a children's book in my spare time (here and there, not as often as I should), and there have been many times that I wanted to post what I've been working on. However, I'm torn between keeping the images private and sharing them on the blog. Any input on this? Do you think there's any risk of the images being stolen and/or used improperly?

old habits review

2011-01-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

Here's a little introductory video to my brother's band, Hot Bodies in Motion. My favorite part is the very end... you'll see.

Old Habits Review | The Stranger(s) | Hot Bodies In Motion from Hot Bodies In Motion on Vimeo.

This video cracks me up. I'm probably biased (it is my brother, after all), but I think it's just great. Simple, beautifully shot, hilarious. A bunch of happy people listening to music and giving their gut reactions.

Come to the CD release show on Jan. 8th!

clean streak

2011-01-03T22:02:00.001-08:00

Currently I want to get rid of all the toxic chemicals in my house (read: cleaning products) and spring for Mrs. Meyers. What do you think? I've always liked the pretty bottles. Knowing that 10% of all toxic exposure is due to cleaning products gives me even more incentive to move onto something safer, more natural, and better for the environment.

[Lemon Verbena scent has always been my favorite.]

baby, it's cold outside

2011-01-02T18:39:00.001-08:00

The best thing about cold weather is wearing boots.

fear / hope

2011-01-01T15:42:00.001-08:00

It's the first day of the new year. This year, I want to live without fear.

Fear of my past, fear of the things that scare me right now, fear of things that haven't even happened yet.

Fear of loving others, too much or too little.

I'd like to be more hopeful this year.

more felt ornaments

2010-12-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

I found some different felt ornaments to make, courtesy Design*Sponge (again). They're super easy. Felt, embroidery floss, and Christmas cookie cutters. My sisters and I spent hours and hours stitching these little felt creations. So fun. I only made two ornaments before my shoulders started feeling crunched and my fingers completely lost their dexterity. Here's the gingerbread man.

little gifts & everyday art

2010-12-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

Been trying to figure out how to incorporate my button stash into gifts... won't say who this is for, but I like how it turned out.

Also been using little fragments of my illustrations for gift cards. I love incorporating art into the everyday. Maybe because I don't make it to art museums & galleries often enough.

snow birds

2010-12-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

Wrapping packages is one of my favorite things. The recession has made me think differently about things that I'd normally buy without much thought. I've found myself making more and more, and really enjoying it. A while back, I did this little drawing in sumi ink of two little birds.

Last weekend, I had this impulse to make little gift tags with the drawing. I'm not very pleased with the paper colors I chose (too drab!), but I'm pretty happy with the overall idea. I'll keep experimenting, and who knows, maybe they'll find their way to my etsy shop.

on the edge of the sound

2010-12-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

The Olympics Mountains have been more visible than ever lately. My boss told me that if you go hiking in the Olympics, you'll meet people from all over the world. I believe it. It is sort of surreal to see these from our back porch on a clear day.

wreaths

2010-12-05T20:47:00.000-08:00

This weekend, a friend and I got together to make wreaths. Inspired by Design*Sponge, we set out to make them asymmetrical and sparse a la Emily Thompson, an incredibly gifted event designer. We both came up with something completely different. I have to admit that I copied my Design*Sponge clipping a little too closely. Thanks to my friend's suggestion of blue ribbon, it has the pop of color it desperately needed.

I used the redwood limbs, greens and cones littered all over my yard, as well as hemlock greens and some faux red berries that I clipped off an old wreath.

christmas time is here

2010-11-29T05:51:00.000-08:00

We've moved from Thanksgiving and the impromptu wine glass orchestra...

to the first day of Advent.

Christmas time is here! I'm not mad about it.

snowflakes

2010-11-22T14:54:00.001-08:00

Well, it seems like autumn might have gone as fast as it came this year. Last night, little snowflakes:

Today, big ones:

I totally thought that we'd get snow at Thanksgiving this year. It's a little bit early, but I was so close!

art deco film posters

2010-11-14T19:38:00.000-08:00

I just watched the trailer for Black Swan. Not only am I very excited to see this film, but I can't get over how beautiful the film posters are. The Art Deco element is so strong, yet the design is still modern. Absolutely gorgeous. I want to frame one for my house.

via firstshowing.net

t & t

2010-11-14T16:01:00.000-08:00

I've been following today and tomorrow for several months, and the featured artwork is always fascinating, pushing technological limits and making fascinating statements about living in a wired world. This piece, Non-Sign II, is particularly interesting:

via today and tomorrow

surprise

2010-11-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I came home to a package on my porch for "Blandrea Blanderson." I dumped it out and it was filled with my new favorite tea! I don't foresee ever running out of Jasmine Blossom tea, now. That was so sweet. I feel loved when people pay attention to what I like. Thanks, friend.

lucky winner!

2010-11-11T17:50:00.000-08:00

And the giveaway winner is... Moorea! I'll be contacting you to give you your gift certificate soon. Happy shopping! Thanks for playing, everyone. That was fun, I think I'll do it again!

(Yes, it was early in the morning when I took this picture.)

going on a trip? $35 giveaway!

2010-11-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

I've never done a giveaway before, but I was contacted by CSN stores recently and asked to do one, and I figured, why not? I've been poking around their huge family of websites, checking out everything from stainless steel cookware (which JD wants so bad) to high-end fashion. Maybe it's the weather, but I'm really digging this Rainbow Brice (get the pun?) wristlet from their luggage site. So many colors... so pretty.

If you're looking for a new suitcase, they have a massive selection of leather luggage and it's all drastically marked down. I could be here for a while. To win the $35 gift certificate, all you have to do is comment. I've never done this before, so we'll see how it goes! Good luck!

pantry makeover

2010-11-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

I started eating gluten-free in May of 2009, and it took me a good seven months to gradually accumulate the gluten-free flours that I needed to cook and bake with. Eleven months later and my kitchen still looks different. I'm always learning something new and integrating something new into my diet.

If you're looking to start implementing a gluten-free diet with more whole foods and nutrients, but the idea is overwhelming, this article from Wild Thyme Kitchen might help. I found the 2010 Pantry Makeover really helpful when I was starting out. It sort of walks you through where to start and what to look for, and emphasizes the fact that you have to integrate healthy foods gradually, so you don't break the bank or get too overwhelmed with all the changes.

mental pictures

2010-11-01T20:53:00.001-07:00

When I was very little, I used to sit at a small, gray metal table, on a stool, eating my cold cereal, feet dangling in footy pajamas, right under this poster. The proportions of the mouths and eyes always captivated me, as did the dreamy colors. The poster resurfaced a couple weeks ago, and it was so fun to see after so many years. I love seeing old images from my past. It's interesting what kinds of images stay with us over time.

iron sharpens iron

2010-09-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a thought: Marriage changes you. It's an exercise in humility every day.

whole foods

2010-09-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

If you must know one thing about me right now, it's that I am really into eating healthy. It's amazing how beautiful healthy food is.

I've always been curious about nutrition, but had a serious lapse in college when I ate too many dollar-menu items at Jack n' the Box and drank too many dirty martinis. I started slowly pulling myself back together in year 24, after I fell in love, and my interest in better health has only escalated from there.

May 2009, I realized I was gluten and MSG-intolerant, and that kicked off a more earnest search for quality food with nutritional value. I like to say that having food allergies is the best thing that ever happened to me. Essentially, I can't eat processed foods with chemical additives and other stuff grown in petri dishes to make food cheaper and easier to disperse. Not such a bad deal. I eat well = my body thanks me.

JD loves cooking, so he does most of it. Someday I hope to be the amazing cook he is. Since we saw Food, Inc. a couple months ago, we have successfully scaled back even more junky food from our kitchen. We eat tons of whole foods and look for the most nutritious ones. I subscribed to Nutrition Action Healthletter a couple months ago, and have been learning so much about the latest scientific studies on food and health. It's awesome.

Anyway, I don't have a point to all of this except that if you want to see what kinds of mouthwatering things JD is up to, you can wander over to his cooking blog: JD Cooking. And if you want to start eating better and feeling better, don't be shy in asking me questions. I love talking about it.

fighting the object

2010-09-16T12:40:00.001-07:00

You probably would never guess, but I hate materialism. I hate hearing about things and reading about stuff. The internet makes the stuff obsession even harder to squelch. I love beautiful things and am tempted to collect them, like everyone else. I'm just not comfortable with it. There's more to life.

My problem is that while I hate hearing about things and stuff, I love drawing it. I could draw a pair of shoes for hours and love every minute. It's frustrating - I want to make art that is magnificent and transcendent, and all can really wrap my mind around is shoes. The feeling of not knowing how to create something great has plagued me for years.

When I was a child, I would draw for hours. I made what I made and I called it good, and I never thought twice about it. Shoes, bottles, books, whatever I saw, I drew.

The more I think about it, the more I realize just how good that was. It was all I had to give, and as a child, I didn't question that. Art school sort of hammered that sensibility out of me. I guess I need to try to get it back somehow.

can't catch a break

2010-09-10T17:54:00.001-07:00

So the other day I was fixing to drive over the Narrows Bridge back to Tacoma, and I couldn't figure out how to get into the right lane to pay the toll. I had this fistful of dollars as I was peering over the steering wheel at about 5 miles an hour when I realized I was going down the wrong lane and had no choice but to keep going. A big sign shouted "CAMERAS ARE WATCHING, WITHOUT A GoodToGo PASS YOU WILL BE FINED AT LEAST $52."

All I could think was, "I hope they took a picture of this wad of cash in my hand."

disengaged

2010-08-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

I was going to blog a little bit while I was on vacation, but the internet wasn't really working. It forced me to take a break from technology for a while. I know it was good, but it felt uncomfortable. I'm addicted to information, like many people are becoming. What will it take to disengage, without disengaging from people?

the art of the daiquiri

2010-07-31T16:13:00.001-07:00

As a wedding gift, we received this incredible book called Killer Cocktails. I've been going through the book and trying out new drinks every so often. Here is a photo of our new favorite summer drink, the Daiquiri:

You may have heard of it and just scrunched your nose a little, because Daiquiris are usually served in Day-Glo colors, and loaded with sugar and weird flavorings. But, back in the beginning (which was more than 100 years ago), the Daiquiri was a classic beauty. In fact, it was JFK's beverage of choice. Here's what you make it with:

2 shots of rum
1 shot of Rose's Lime Juice
Just a little bit of simple syrup, or baker's sugar

All you do is put it all in your cocktail shaker with ice, shake, and pour into a pretty glass. As you can see, this one is serious business. Drink it after work, and if you have kids, after bed time. Preferably on a full stomach.

naughty blogger

2010-07-17T09:16:00.001-07:00

I've been a bad blogger. I know that nobody out there is checking my blog by the minute, but I just dusted off my old Stat Counter (where I can track who is looking at my blog by location and IP address) and realized that a lot of you are still checking this periodically. And I've been a complete failure at responding.

As a prime example, there is Moorea. She is a doll, has a booming e-business and still manages to write super sweet and personal entries. Back in February of 2009, she gave me a little shout-out, and said the sweetest things about my fashion sense and jewelry making enterprises. It made me blush, and I got totally distracted shopping online for the playsuits she recommended. Then, inevitably, I got distracted by something else and I totally forgot to thank her at all for the shout-out. This is the story of my life post-wedding. Sorry Moorea. I appreciated what you wrote and I still do.

I'm sure there are a lot of you out there who I've somehow stiffed in the blogging world. I used to be better at keeping in touch, but now I'm lucky if I get to read all the blogs that feed into my Google Reader. But I do love reading about all of you.

Some of you post about your kids, and the accompanying pictures always make my day. Some of you post thoughts about current events, and give me something to think about - often I want to reply in the worst way, but I don't have time to gather my thoughts. A lot of you just talk about how you feel, valid and valuable feelings, many of them feelings that I've felt before or am feeling now, and I'm so glad you're putting those words out there. And many of you write about your creative processes, and the obstacles that arise as your lives change. I'm always encouraged by your progress and motivated by the innovative ways you manage to create beautiful things out of chaos.

For the past year, I've spent most of the working day typing at a desk, and when I come home, typing more just doesn't sound fun. So I can't promise to be a much better blogger - but I'm going to try. There's still a writer in me, begging to come out, and I want you all to know that you're feeding it.

where is that girl?

2010-04-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

My favorite boots, the black suede ones with the ruffles and buttons, finally fell apart for the last time, and I gave them to the Good Will. I think it was the nail in the coffin for something that has been taking place for quite some time, and I'll just say it: I'm not sure about my physical identity these days. I am still me, but I don't look like myself - at least not to me. I haven't dyed my hair in a long time, my favorite clothing items from years past have all slowly disintegrated, and I'm actually entering my mid-twenties. No, I haven't had kids, but that doesn't exempt me from the weird experience of looking at myself and wondering who/what it is I am looking at. I feel less like "me" and more like "some woman." It's too weird. I wonder if anyone else has had this discombobulating experience.

new paintings/drawings

2010-02-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

I've got some more stuff up in the shop. It's hard work but I've finally got some momentum. Have a look around! Click the images to go to their corresponding etsy pages.

Note: I love to draw from photos. If you would like to commission me to draw/paint/experiment with a portrait of your child/wife/favorite picture, just contact me and we can work something out! I promise I don't charge an arm and a leg. I'm a baby artist and you'll be helping me create my portfolio.

connected

2009-10-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

There is a measure of comfort in knowing that those I admire have also waded through the raw material of life, and that they did it with moxie, able to see the humor in dirty sleeves and skinned knees.

building blocks

2009-10-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

watercolor, micron pen on aquarelle arches

2009-09-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

I bought some paper in muted colors and have started doing papercrafts -- trimming little silhouettes of people and animals and things. I've been daydreaming about book illustrations made entirely from cut paper. I love texture and lately cut paper has really hit the spot. I'll post pictures later.

I've also done a little more children's book illustrating. I promise I'll get some images up soon. I met a woman at work who has been writing children's stories and actually submitting her work to publishers, and it gave me a little boost. If I keep snagging five minutes here and there and send my submissions in, you never know what might happen.

2009-07-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

Faith is a brutal thing, and hope is a monster -- larger than life, chasing demons, screaming into dark passageways, haunting bleak life with the idea of change.

wandering

2009-07-12T20:51:00.001-07:00

I have a certain kind of wanderlust that doesn't require plane tickets. Mostly I just want to know what's in my own back yard. We've walked every inch of our new neighborhood in the past few months, wearing tracks around our house, falling in love with the houses next door and getting attached to their pets. When nature tugs a little harder, we roam a little farther - jumping in the car, driving north, east, south, west.

Yesterday we went to Puyallup, walking quickly through a farmer's market in the sweaty heat. We went on to Orting, gaped at giant sprinklers, daydreamed about farming. We pulled over on a dusty country road and bought Rainier cherries, using a mysterious pile of change that had been accumulating in my wallet.

Today we went north to Bellingham, watching overcast grey clouds, the leftovers of a magnificent thunderstorm. We found our favorite nests, read books, wrote lists, talked. We stopped off the highway at a Japanese garden where a swarm of overgrown koi followed around us as we used the stepping stones above them. We drove home, giant raindrops pelting the windshield, taking in the wet green and grey as it went sliding past the car.

Sometimes, I guess I just need a change of scenery.

the most honest

2009-07-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

One of my art professors in undergrad recently blogged:

"I've painted ice cream cones and portraits and murals, have lettered signs and drawn maps and filled ridiculous acres of notebook margins with doodles. I've illustrated and designed for record labels and harpists and coffee shops and string quartets. But the work that I respond to most deeply, and that I aspire to make, puts form to something that has been sensed or felt, but not yet seen. While I really do admire the intentions of an artist who makes work to instruct people politically, socially, even spiritually, I have next to no desire to fashion work after that purpose. I like best when visual language is used as a philosophical tool-- to investigate realities and perceptions of the universe as seen through human eyes. And I love when beauty joins hands with tragedy, somehow... so that the result is more true than pretty. I like when absurdity is used well-- when a laugh is the most honest response. And I also like seeing something that at first appears ugly or malformed, but which slowly grows on you until it seems more beautiful than anything else."

I feel the same way, completely. Although I probably have less respect than I should for social/political art.

fold 'em

2009-07-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

silhouettes

2009-06-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a scribble I did the other day. For some reason I love silhouettes, and the idea of a pet silhouette is hilarious for some reason.

hurts to grow up

2009-06-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

Remember those songs that were your favorites several years ago, but now they're gauche? And you forget all about them and move on? This morning "good morning, son, I am a bird..." popped into my head. I googled the lyrics and was reminded that they are from "Still Fighting It," a song by Ben Folds. The youtube video popped up. Aw. Evidently this song will eternally wield crushing sentimental power over me.

And in an interesting twist (now that I'm twenty-five and not nineteen), videos of dads and toddlers hit me right in the biological clock. Yep, I said it.

weather vanes

2009-06-04T09:03:00.001-07:00

When we first moved into the neighborhood, I vaguely noticed the weather vanes on the roofs around me. Now, as I walk or jog in the mornings, I can't help but look for them. It's funny that although they're perched on the very tip-tops of houses, they're still mostly hidden from view - unless you're looking for them. If I were any good at poetry I'd write something about the weather vanes being a world unto themselves, high above everyone else, but I'm not. Maybe someone will feel inspired and contribute something to my prose.

epiphany

2009-04-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

new bag

2009-04-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

The old one was coated with layers of dirt, newspaper ink, bathroom tile grime, and dust from the brown grass at the fairground while I rode the Zipper. Scrawled graffiti on the lining from years of uncapped pens.

Rest in peace, old bag.

tucked away

2009-04-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

This image keeps coming back to me: when I was small, I spent most of my time lugging all of my belongings into the closet. I'd start by laying a blanket to make it cozy, finagle my raccoon lamp in so it would glow, and drag my lapdesk, paper and pens. I would draw in my fort in the closet for hours. Have I always been obsessed with hidden spaces?

plug

2009-04-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

The hubs has a new blog. He's quite the photographer.