Hearts in Snow

Billy and I went out of town for a craft show I was in on Valentine's day. We spent the end of last week making valentines for others! We didn't buy each other anything for the romantic holiday and for our valentines day dinner we stopped at a local pizza place in Logan on the way home. But, before we left, we made each other fleeting valentines in our yard.

 

Enjoy the long weekend and cuddle up often with good music!

caught between snowballs and swimsuits

Looking at spring trends while cuddled in the throws of a winter snowstorm has never been comforting... it inspires yet another new goal and not related to New Years resolutions because who are we kidding?  When does winter weather inspire anything but hibernation sprinkled with a few brave days of venturing out when you have to or are inspired to?  Does moderation come easier when you live in a climate that is consistently moderate?

dusting off...

I would love to own this painting by my friend Maureen Shields. I just came across it as she was having a sale on her Etsy site. I realized that I have had dreams about this painting and have a half realized drawing of it in one of my old journals from when I lived in Chicago. I post it today not only because I love the story of the Princess and the Pea, but it sort of describes how I have been feeling this winter...although I am identifying a little more with the pea than the princess.

I've neglected this page after a few looming technical difficulties and the passing of important birthdays and wintery holidays. I also get easily overwhelmed with the million of ideas I want to a. communicate, b. execute and c. document. I let the old fashioned "overwhelmed" fairy take over and let the duvets of ideas pile up over me while literally nestling with my baby under every blanket in the house.

I see the triumph in the princess and look to her for inspiration. Bird by Bird, I will peel back the layers of inspirational detritus and trust that they will form themselves into some kind of tangible matter, even if it's a new quilt, fait main, to add to our collection.

feeling a little tom waits nostalgia

"It's all in there,' he smiles. 'Crop failures, dad dying, train wrecks. It all gets handed down, and everything you absorb you're going to secrete. A lot of those old songs stick to you, and others blow right through you, and some of them get trapped in there. You keep hearing them every time you sit down at the piano.'"

-Tom Waits in this interview

a view from highway one. more to come...

as if i need more distraction

okay, yes... while in san fran i want to be a total tree hugger. but, i would be lying if i didn't just buy this book with fantastic projects, beautiful designs and more fun distractions for little old me. I came across this shop last time I was in the bay and I can't wait to visit again.

When I was there before, I found one of my other favorite discoveries.

so then, I must add that when I go back, I also get to see my friend Michael McConnell's work at another great shop.

the woods i spoke of earlier...

the photos are amazing. but the story is even better.

invite

billy has been scanning in all the photos from my grandma's old photo albums.

she will be eighty in november. my mother will be sixty. and billy celebrates his thirtieth. all in november. here's what i've been working on for her invite.

there will be more to share soon...

magpie chandelier

Such a wonderful thing.

Read this...

and this is where i saw it!

this is the dream job at anthropologie. someday, in my own way! congrats keith, and the entire anthropologie family!

rain + coffee in a paper cup + driving= reminisce

reminisce |ˌreməˈnis|

verb [ intrans. ]

indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events : they reminisced about their summers abroad.

the smell of the new fall rain reminds me of the saturdays I would walk through portobello road...

and the coffee shops in Europe make me remember that coffee should never be taken to go, but enjoyed in the moment, as you are.

while setting up my studio, and listening to the rain drip on the windows, I came across this metal tin I found in a thrift store a few years ago that just so happened to have this picture on the front. Then,

I found something I wrote when I lived there

"She opted for the pale skin, grey sky city of simultaneous sadness and undulating energy.

She watched the city from the backseat of taxi cabs. The bowing, rain spotted windows clarified her thoughts and crystallized her longing. The paperback gray of her heart was warmed by the thought of her future lover. And then one day..."