resolute twig

2011-12-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

Right now these lovely bits of green are making me very happy.

Happy Tuesday friends!

the weekend and the holiday market

2011-12-19T13:41:00.004-05:00

The holiday market went well this weekend and Christmas is starting to feel very close :)

The plan for tonight is to go home, put on a good Christmas movie and start wrapping. I really love that part. And happily this year I was able to do all my shopping without once stepping foot inside a mall.

In other good news, I found out that I do in fact have a job next year, plus a couple weeks off which will give me the perfect opportunity to take a trip to Mt. Shasta to see some good friends, play in the snow and possibly squeeze in a little work for Morgan. That is of course a HUGE relief and a wonderful Christmas gift.

Holiday Market and shipping notice!

2011-12-13T09:14:00.000-05:00

If you are in the Portland area come to the Capitol Hill Holiday Market Friday and Saturday December 16th and 17th to find some fantastic handmade gifts. There will also be some great food and a raffle. For more info check out their web site.

and now for an UPDATE

I will be closing down the shop while I participate in the Holiday Market. The shops will reopen on Sunday with all remaining items. So if you have your eye on something now is the time to purchase, before items are taken to the market.

Also this is the last week I can guarantee shipping to arrive by Christmas.

Thanks dears!

weekends at the coast

2011-12-12T17:06:00.000-05:00

In the last two weeks I have spent two great weekends at the coast. With good friends, clear skies, amazing food, and walks on the beach. Its been nice.

Now its time to start wrapping Christmas gifts. ;)

books!

2011-12-12T12:45:00.006-05:00

agendas and lined journals and blank books, oh my!

More bookmaking has been going on at this Sweetland's house. And I have a feeling more may continue to go on, at least for the rest of this week.

large lined journal

wanderer

***

medium blank / sketch book
***
medium lined journal
the ocean blue - corduroy
***

large daily agenda in black and white

all will be listed in THE SHOP shortly!

2011-12-11T21:05:00.002-05:00

Go HERE for a chance to win this fantastic necklace. Tonight is the last night to enter, so hurry!

If you haven't already you should check out Rosy's amazing work in her etsy shop.

xo friends!

the clash

2011-12-09T12:01:00.003-05:00

orange you glad edition

9x6 blank book

***

large daily agenda

I am sort of in love with this one and may or may not decide to keep it for myself. :)

***
custom clash address book
this lovely is already spoken for.

Happy weekend friends!

2011-12-05T17:27:00.001-05:00

Hope your Monday's are going well friends!

where I wanna go

2011-12-02T09:28:00.000-05:00

found here

mushrooms, wine and a mini lion

2011-12-01T16:51:00.002-05:00

chanterelles drying for use in the off season

It was a pretty good time to use a needle and bookbinding thread and hang them from the ceiling. A normal Tuesday night... :)

***
Lucy, chantrelles and the wine
***

Lucy, who with her real bobcat fut collar looks like a proud mini lion, is checking out a new part of her domain.

I sure like that cat. xo ~Susie

trees!

2011-12-01T13:45:00.004-05:00

custom large daily agenda in slate and blue with a stitched tree in navy

***
scrap paper book in blue and slate with a bright blue stitched tree on its front.
The tree is a little hard to see since the coloring is similar to the book cloth, but in person the tree shows and is lovely :)

new!

2011-11-29T16:21:00.003-05:00

ocean blue large blank sketch book

In the shop HERE

***

meadow key fob

In the shop HERE

***

wanderer 8x10 photo album

In the shop HERE

Happy Tuesday loves!

2011-11-27T13:07:00.003-05:00

found here

Well, its been another lively and wonderful thanksgiving. I ate three large meals (one was salmon, not turkey), washed a lot of dishes, spent time with friends and family and had an altogether great time.

There is always of course a little tension too...

But I enjoyed it all and am now happy to be back in the quiet of my own home to have a day to myself.

This holiday was also colored by the loss of a good friend a little over a week ago. He was only 30 and died in a very unexpected and surprising way, an accident with a gun. It has been difficult, and I can only imagine what the holiday was like for his family. I guess as I was going through my own holiday, with a new love by my side, meeting his extended family and dear friends, feeling and hoping that this will be the first of a long line of holidays spent together, I couldn't help but think about how precious life is, and how fleeting.

I was raised in a very religious home, so that always used to color my view of death, but now without that framework to make everything fit together so cleanly, I am not sure what I think.

What I know is that life is precious. Family and friends are precious. Love is precious. Its also all very messy. But hopefully the good kind of messy.

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday. x0 ~S

the delicates

2011-11-21T23:23:00.005-05:00

Comprised of sterling, ruby, water sapphire and golden quartz.

All are in the shop now.

2011-11-18T13:01:00.001-05:00

found here

Have an awesome weekend friends!! xo ~S

check out Sprout!

2011-11-16T15:48:00.004-05:00

Amanda of Persistent Green has just launched her very first issue of the new online magazine Sprout

This issue is all about celebration. Asking what would happen if we faced each day with a spirit of celebration.

The details: awesome contributors, 60 pages of goodness, hand painted backgrounds, art, photography, poetry, essays, creative prompts and a fantastic artist interview.

At only $6 an issue, this magazine is well worth it.

To purchase click the SPROUT button on my right sidebar.

I was also so happy to get to be a part of Amanda's awesome endeavour and have a small piece featured in this issue.

Check it out friends!

books!

2011-11-15T16:02:00.000-05:00

Ive been favoring fabric lately. I think one of the biggest reasons is durability.

If I have a journal or sketchbook I am going to take it places with me. This might mean to work, a local coffee shop, an airplane or into the woods. These fabrics will hold up well under that kind of wear.

an 11x14 album with 30 pages in black and green and white natural print canvas

***

a large daily agenda in teal corduroy and black and white damask

***

custom lovely 12x12 50 page album in purple and black and white toile
***

Ive been trying to stock up in the shop as we head into the holidays. Here's hoping for a good etsy Christmas! xo ~S

the weekend: mushrooms and winemaking

2011-11-15T14:51:00.007-05:00

The wine is coming along. And we are having so much fun. And with a little luck I think it just might taste alright too.

***

A new addition to the house. Deer skull and antlers against a lovely piece of otter fur, hand tanned by my man.

***

A day of driving, walking in the woods and a little rain brought us to this lovely sight. A bowl full of clean chanterelles. And let me just say, there was more then one bowlful.

That bowl full led to this full refrigerator, which led to some very yummy meals.

Hope everyone has been enjoying their fall weekends!

good things about today

2011-11-14T13:29:00.003-05:00

Well. My camera, which is sitting right next to me as I type, is full of fun and wonderful photos of my weekend that I was planning to share this morning. Sadly I left my camera cord at home. Which means that instead of weekend photos I am going to tell you some really great things about today (even though it is only 10:33 am).

1. There are about a thousand birds swarming around my office (trailer at the top of a hill in the middle of a vineyard, not necessarily what you think of when you hear "office") right now. There is a bit of blue sky peaking out from behind clouds, and its raining and I am loving looking out the window. 2. I am alternating drinking coffee and caffeinated strawberry crystal light. 3. The bulk of harvest craziness is over. It was fun but I am excited to get things in order and start planning for the future. 4. I am VERY excited to start Christmas shopping and preparations. 5. My fridge is currently full of chantrelles (sp???). 6. Tonight I am going to Target.

How is that for an awesome morning???

I love books

2011-11-10T13:23:00.006-05:00

domestic goddess

large daily agenda, 5x7

This book is covered from head to toe in a lovely cotton blend boasting an orange and creme geometric pattern. Being covered completely in fabric gives this book a bit of extra toughness and durability. That toughness along with this cheerful and dainty print make me think of a domestic goddess happily at work.

***

wanderer

medium photo album

8x10, 30 pages

An album for the wanderer in all of us.

fog

2011-11-09T16:55:00.003-05:00

Its been a weird week.

Month maybe. I have been unable to focus. Its been so busy with the harvest that there was no time to think. Just to do.

I'm so looking forward to thinking again.

I've been wanting to not just create, but to think about creation. The act of doing it. The feel. How making a batch of wine or binding a book or painting a painting for me all come from the same place. All stem from the same desire.

My mood changes quickly, but luckily the jolting sadness I have felt before is no longer in the rotation.

So much is still unknown, and I suppose always will be, but right now with changes at the vineyard and possibly my employment status it is more tangible.

I am waiting, but I am not sure what for.

I am tiered of it, and maybe there is no need anyway.

The one thing I am sure of though, is that it will all be ok.

Oh yeah.

books!

2011-11-08T16:09:00.005-05:00

Unpave my path daily agenda

For someone who would rather walk a dirt road then a paved one.

In tiole and purple.

***

Wavelength address book

For someone who is happy with the wavelength they are currently riding.

In red and white cloth.

Both will be in the shop soon!

leather!

2011-11-04T16:15:00.004-04:00

blue feather cuff

tattooed lady cuff

Both will be in the jewelry shop shortly.

Have a lovely weekend dears!

in process...

2011-11-01T19:11:00.004-04:00

cuffs!

grass and mushroom

ACEO's etc

*
grapes!
xo! ~s

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T20:06:00.000-04:00

"I got a rock"

grow

2011-10-31T18:24:00.000-04:00

This is a painting to remind you to GROW.

Watercolor and ink on paper.

stormy skies edition

*
tie dyed skies edition
*

blue skies edition

bright skies edition

Each ACEO is an original piece of art, not a print. Each piece is signed and dated on the back.

ACEO's are art card editions and originals. They are small pieces of art with a required size of 2.5" x 3.5" (standard trading card size). They are collected and traded all over the world and are a wonderful and affordable way to own original art.

In the shop shortly! :)

soul sisters

2011-10-31T15:49:00.005-04:00

A painting in honor of sisters, the biological and non biological kind.

Watercolor and ink.

stormy skies edition

blue skies edition

Tie dyed skies

Blue skies edition

***

Each ACEO is an original piece of art, not a print. Each piece is signed and dated on the back.

ACEO's are Art Card Edition and Originals. They are small pieces of art with a required standard size of 2.5" x 3.5" (standard trading card size). They are collected and traded all over the world and are a wonderful and affordable way to own original art.

These will be in the shop shortly. They make great gifts!

morning

2011-10-28T09:14:00.000-04:00

2011-10-27T15:08:00.003-04:00

found here

2011-10-25T11:42:00.002-04:00

Reasons why lately I have been a bad blogger...

1. I went out of town unexpectedly last week to attend my Grandmothers funeral.

2. I left my camera in Utah :( but happily I think I will get it back tomorrow.

3. We have finally started harvesting grapes which means that there is lots of extra work to do and lots of overtime.

4. I have been slightly stressed out by certain job changes (I may or may not be employed January 1st).

Reasons why right now is pretty great:

1. Harvest is fun. 2. Its getting cold which means lots of bundling up and wearing big cozy things. 3. Change can be exciting. 4. I am reading a book that I bought at Goodwill, I cant remember what its called but its about magic and its very fun. 5. In Utah I got to see all sorts of cousins and family members I haven't seen in years. 6. The view of the vineyard in the morning. 7. Sweet and creamy coffee. 8. M will be home tonight.

How have you all been??

books!

2011-10-19T12:37:00.004-04:00

Custom unicorn daily agenda in strawberry.

The clash 9x6 blank book in teal, sprouts in shades of blue and a green botanical print.

sky

2011-10-18T13:26:00.010-04:00

These were all taken on the same morning on my drive to work.

Amazing.

the clash

2011-10-17T12:18:00.007-04:00

I am a girl who likes to clash (in clothes, in home decorating, the list goes on and on). Sometimes it works out and looks adorable, and sometimes not so much. But I like to go ahead with it anyway.

The clash is a new series of books made while thinking about how surprising and fantastic it is when an interesting and unusual combination works. When you find that two seemingly clashing things are somehow actually complementary. When they go together to create something interesting and beautiful that you had never seen before.

Medium address book in teal corduroy, a green and white natural print and an orange and creme filigree pattern.

Large daily agenda in an orange and creme filigree, teal corduroy, and green and white natural print.

These two books would make a great set, or are lovely on their own.

Hope you birds had a fantastic weekend!

from the road: powerlines, birds and foggy mornings

2011-10-13T14:51:00.007-04:00

today in Amity

2011-10-11T13:59:00.003-04:00

Today in Oregon the rain has finally stopped, but I sort of already miss it.

Things feel very busy around here. Life seems to consist of running and waiting and not much in between. The grapes are very late this year, but are finally almost ready to harvest, and with them I am almost done with my harvest preparations. A lot goes into a bottle of wine my friends, and that is before the fruit even gets to the winery.

I was finally starting to feel settled here. On top of things. Like I knew what I was doing and where I was going at least for the next year maybe. But now that feeling is somewhat gone. I am worried.

I am sick of change.

I think I could sleep for 2 whole days.

I cant wait to get the mail today.

This morning I have had 3 cups of coffee, half a bagel, one cheese and peanut butter cracker and have done more vlookups (excel fun) then I cared to.

Hope you all have a lovely Tuesday chickadees.

sky

2011-10-08T20:33:00.001-04:00

perch

2011-10-06T15:57:00.002-04:00

5x7 daily agenda in green and slate

9x6 lined journal in purple and teal

Both feature repurposed leather scraps with turquoise thread.

perch series
Made for those times when your best move is to take a breath a wait. Watch. Give yourself room to see whats around the next bend. Made to remind you to be patient with yourself and with the world.

Both books will be in THE SHOP shortly.

2011-10-06T11:43:00.001-04:00

Found here

where you're going

2011-10-05T18:35:00.001-04:00

found here

in progress

2011-10-04T09:16:00.000-04:00

These lovelies will be a part of a new "perch" series.

More to come!

a walk through the woods

2011-10-03T17:10:00.000-04:00

Mushroom hunting.

This weekend M and I took an hour or two to wander through the lovely Oregon coast woods. The rains have started, but its not too cold.

It was a nice weekend, though it went too quickly, and I am finally really feeling ready for fall (but I am NOT quite ready to put away my flip flops yet... :)

books!

2011-10-03T12:07:00.004-04:00

2 9x6 lined journals

in creme spirographs and orange brocade

Just in case anyone forgot, I love custom orders. :)

happenings

2011-09-30T13:18:00.002-04:00

Its been a busy week, but good busy. M surprised me late Wednesday night and was able to stay around last night, which was wonderful.

At work we are getting close to harvest, which means there are a million things going on.

I started to paint again.

And this week I wrote three poems.

I also have a few book designs swimming around my head that I am excited to get home and try. They combine leather, birds, branches and my sewing machine.

Tonight I am looking forward to a night in, doing laundry, painting, cleaning, a quick nap and then a coffee infused 1AM drive to the coast.

Have a fantastic Friday friends!

read a banned book week!

2011-09-28T12:22:00.003-04:00

Thanks to HelloGiggles, I found out this morning that this week is banned book week! Who knew that this even existed, but what a great idea it is. So this week celebrate the fact that we can read and publish whatever we want.

Here are some that would be on the banned books list:

Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Beloved by Toni Morison

Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut

These (and countless other banned books) are awesome and I am SO HAPPY that we can be introduced to new and interesting ideas by them. So go read one.

Have a fantastic Wednesday birds!

everybody needs a rainbow chair

2011-09-26T18:56:00.001-04:00

found HERE

2011-09-23T17:31:00.000-04:00

Here's hoping that we all get out and do something wonderful this weekend.

~S

image found here

the light on this morning's drive to work and a reasons to be happy list for this Thursday in September

2011-09-22T11:52:00.009-04:00

Reasons to be happy list

the fact that cameras exist, that my office is on top of a hill in a beautiful vineyard, my cat bugging me to wake up in the morning, my vacuum, Target (yes I mean the store), living an hour and 20 minutes from the ocean, the feeling of writing with a really good pen, color, coffee, pink toe nail polish, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, my otter fur bracelet, a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese, my very old and very awesome (and very dirty) Toyota Camry, playing music loud while cleaning the house, the big green tomato's that are ripening on my tomato plant, and mail.

a lovely rainy weekend

2011-09-19T13:49:00.003-04:00

This weekend I spent a fantastically rainy two days at the beach. It honestly poured the entire time, but it was somehow perfect, and very soothing. I got to spend time with M as well as have a nice Saturday night to myself while he went to work. I took a hot bath, read, wrote, watched a movie and listened to the rain in the dark.

Somehow the rain seems to have washed away something.

What was so unclear for these past months is becoming clear again. And it is such a relief.

I have always tended to make things harder then they needed to be, and lately has been no exception. But at least for right now I don't feel a need for perfection. I can see the beauty in the mess and find joy in it. At least for right now I can let go and not hold myself or the world to some crazy standard and expectation that should never have even entered my head in the first place.

Right now I see possibility and good things in the future for all of us.

Have an awesome Monday chickadees. ~S

2011-09-15T19:55:00.000-04:00

found here

loving the process

2011-09-15T16:47:00.004-04:00

albums

2011-09-14T15:48:00.006-04:00

Walking on sunshine

8x10 30 page album in hemp and bright sunshiny yellow

A book made for someone who sees nothing but sunshine.

***
Custom 8x10 30 page album
Features abstract fabric in shades of blue with a teal spine, 3 birds in flight, and chartreuse ribbons to fasten it closed.

weekend

2011-09-13T17:06:00.001-04:00

I had a lovely weekend spent partly at the coast and partly at home spending time with M, listening to the waves, and flying a kite we found in the grass on our walk to the ocean.

Hope yours was fantastic! xo

cute animals

2011-09-12T19:25:00.003-04:00

Have an awesome Monday Chickadees! ~S

All received in random email forwards.

sprout in red and blue

2011-09-09T16:44:00.000-04:00

Sprout address book in blue and Sprout daily agenda in red.

These lovelies will be posted HERE shortly.

Have a fantastic weekend all! ~S

black and white and red all over

2011-09-09T12:36:00.006-04:00

Black and white damask fabric with a white spine and black stitching covering a 12x12 30 page album.

***

Black and white tiole fabric with black stitching over a red spine all cover a 12x12 30 page album.

These albums are spine reinforced, feature a red and yellow headband and include glassine interleaving between each page. Interior paper is ivory, acid free and archival quality.

Both of these lovelies are already spoken for, but if you are interested in a custom listing of your own please convo.

Thanks all!

moss graffiti

2011-09-07T21:08:00.000-04:00

Moss graffiti may be one of the greatest things I have ever seen and I cant wait to try it somewhere.

Here's how you do it:

Put in blender, one can of cheap beer (or 1 1/2 cups buttermilk), a few handfuls of moss and a teaspoon of sugar.

Paint on wall in whatever words or shape you want.

Mist daily until it grows.

Just think of all the possibilities...

Source

weekending at the coast

2011-09-07T17:34:00.006-04:00

It was unusually and fantastically warm for one day last weekend at the Oregon Coast, and I just happened to be there on that day. It was wonderful. We went to a great little local place for lunch, napped on the beach and hung out with some of M's new work friends.

I also was lucky enough to get to accompany him to work that night, which entailed being on a boat in a river from about 9pm to 5am catching, tagging and releasing fish. I of course had never done anything like that before and had a great time.

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend.

National Read a Book Day

2011-09-06T13:27:00.002-04:00

Did you know that today, September 6th, is National Read a Book Day??

What a fantastic idea. Lets get to it. ~s

source

books and leather!

2011-09-02T17:54:00.001-04:00

This week I received in the mail a fantastic piece of lambskin. It is a beautiful shade of chocolate brown and is amazingly soft. One of my favorite things about working with this kind of leather is that each piece is different. You can tell that it its real because of the uniqueness and even imperfections that exist in each individual piece.

So my project for last night was again to mix two of my favorite things and to cover a couple of books with it.

Below is a custom 10x14 album with black pages. Soon this baby will be the photo guest book at a lovely vintage style wedding.

***

This smaller but equally wonderful agenda is approximately 5x7 and is covered from head to toe in this fantastically soft and unique piece of leather.

The inside of this book is made with archival quality, acid free, creme colored paper. This agenda can be used for any year as it does not have the day of the week corresponding to the date. It is super easy to use and a great size to throw in your bag and take with you on your adventures.

Both will be in the shop shortly. ~xo

morning thoughts

2011-09-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

Today is one of those days where I have to try hard to see the beauty and blessings and good things that really are all around me. I wish I didn't have these days. I wish I was better at seeing the good and being content.

But since wishing doesn't generally help much with creating actual change I am going to try my best to come up with things to do that may actually help.

~Like getting out my camera and trying to capture the fantastic morning light on my way to work.

~I am going to start writing morning pages. Every day. At least 20 minutes. This will help me feel better and more productive about writing (which I haven't been doing much of at all, and which I have been feeling guilty about not doing) and hopefully get my days off to a better start.

~I am going to recognize and make more use of my awesome friends and family. Reach out to them more. Spend more time with them. And I am starting by getting sushi tonight with my friend Becky.

~When something is wrong I am going to try to self sooth first instead of immediately reaching out and trying to get someone to fix it for me.

~And I am going to make chocolate chip scones.

PS. I am SO looking forward to this long weekend, even though I am not yet sure what I will end up doing with it. Hopefully yours will be full of fun and sunshine and other good things.

2011-08-31T17:31:00.001-04:00

Found HERE

For a day when all you can do is move slowly and breath.

2011-08-30T19:21:00.000-04:00

This weekend though I was in some beautiful places I managed to only have my camera when driving in the car.

Besides driving, the weekend also included: clamming, eating said clams, finding baby crabs in said clams, watching the ocean, naps, a new (to me) marble coffee table for the living room (it looks great and is a fantastic book making workspace), finding a mirror which I will spray paint yellow, old episodes of Weeds, car repairs, and chocolate pudding.

All in all I'd say it was a good weekend.

cute animal photos

2011-08-30T14:06:00.005-04:00

These were all found in funny email forwards I received from family members. :)

Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!!

2011-08-26T16:52:00.000-04:00

Its been a moody week dears, and I am not terribly proud of it. But I do think I am on the right track to making next week slightly less so.

Tonight I am off to the beach for a night or two and then home for a nice relaxing Sunday at home. Hope you all enjoy your last weekend in August.

walking on sunshine - blue bird edition

2011-08-26T12:41:00.004-04:00

A book made for someone who sees nothing but sunshine.

This book combines amazingly cheerful golden book cloth, a nice hearty canvass blue and white print and a blue bird made of book cloth that has been stitched to the books cover. This little guy is right out of my ride the wind series.

This is a medium blank book and all stitching is done in yellow.

Some might say its a little busy, but some days that is exactly what I'm looking for.

Have a sunshiny day!

a few sale items!

2011-08-25T17:59:00.003-04:00

found here

wish bracelets

2011-08-24T18:52:00.000-04:00

Think of a wish while you tie on your bracelet (or anklet). When it falls off your wish is ready to come true.

These will be listed in both shops shortly!

Toodles dears!!

2011-08-24T11:10:00.002-04:00

Reasons to be happy list for right now:

blue skies outside. Today it will be in the 80's. Its been a good couple of weeks etsy custom order wise. Going to the state fair on Friday. I'm relatively on top of things at work. Tonight I will make a leather grass cuff (very fun to make). Today I am wearing a non matching striped cardi with a patterned tank top. Orange toe nails. Coffee. Making a list. Leaving the house with wet hair. The grapes are growing. Hopefully I will see the ocean this weekend. And my cat is pretty awesome.

PS. This is not one of those lists that I am making because I am super happy and positive at this moment, its more like the kind that I am making in an attempt to convince myself... FYI... we shall see if it is successful.

2011-08-23T23:57:00.000-04:00

A lovely and simple custom 12x12 30 page album in bright colors.
Hope your Tuesday has been wonderful :)

in process

2011-08-23T18:54:00.002-04:00

rabbit wisdom

2011-08-20T15:41:00.000-04:00

I came across this quote from The Velveteen Rabbit on Ordinary Courage.

real = beautiful
Love it.

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real, you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

choice

2011-08-19T14:55:00.000-04:00

source

Hello birds!

2011-08-17T18:04:00.001-04:00

2011-08-17T08:02:00.000-04:00

Custom 12x12 30 pager that always reminds me of nighttime.
Hope you are all having a fantastic Tuesday!

how to get ideas

2011-08-16T16:47:00.003-04:00

Found here via here

"How to get ideas.
If you drill in the right place they'll just rise to the surface.
They may be produced by the union of two unfamiliar things.
You can catch one while you sleep, but good luck making sense out of it.
Set a trap, wait patiently. Something big is bound to come along.
One may strike in a moment of desperation.
Most of the time, they'll find you only when you stop looking."

the universe

2011-08-12T16:10:00.000-04:00

found HERE

Portland love

2011-08-12T09:27:00.001-04:00

fruit

2011-08-11T23:58:00.001-04:00

found here

Greenwood Woman: grassroots love!

2011-08-11T08:13:00.000-04:00

Hello friends and neighbors! (well I dont think any of you are actually my neighbors, but woudlnt it be great if we were neighbors?!? I think so...) Anyway I have recently joined the etsy grassroots team and I and I am super excited to show you a few things made by one of my fantiastic teammates.

Greenwood Woman is based out of England, where she works in a shop with no electricity. All items in her shop are made with hand tools only. Awesome. She also believes in ethical and low impact ways of working and creating her finished products.

Here are a few of my favorites.

bowl

beaters

rolling pin

Check her out!

books...

2011-08-10T12:01:00.012-04:00

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opposable thumbs should not be wasted

large daily agenda

So go use yours to make something beautiful.

***

Let it be

medium address book

in honor of recognizing those times when the best thing to do is let it be, let it go, and hope for the best.

***

Sprout

large daily agenda

this book is made to remind you to GROW.

These will be in THE SHOP shortly!

give

2011-08-09T18:28:00.002-04:00

found here

Hello birds! Though I love the idea of luck I also don't like when it begins to overshadow the beauty and value of some good hard work and thinking of others.
Things are good and I think they are gonna stay good.
Happy Tuesday to all you lovely sweet peas of the world.

simplify

2011-08-06T21:21:00.000-04:00

found here

snippets

2011-08-05T16:56:00.010-04:00

The house is starting to come together and and actually feel more like where I live.

Also I sort of wish it would rain today (or tonight), which is odd because I am going camping this weekend.

My good mood yesterday lasted precisely until I got home from work and things began to go wrong. Well, not wrong exactly, but not according to plan, which yesterday felt like the same thing as things going wrong.

The wild mood swings are starting to be less interesting and entertaining then they used to be.

I am also feeling more and more strongly lately how I need to get better at letting go of the plan.

I desperately need to find some balance. I am trying, but so far just haven't found it. But I will.

I am happy to have at least the start of a decent workspace. Hopefully that means I might at some point in my near future do some actual work.

I have been grumpy today. I wish I hadn't been. But hopefully a solitary drive and trip to the movies in a new town while I wait for my man to come meet me after a few days away will help lift it.

If that doesn't then I'm pretty sure seeing the ocean will.

Have a wonderful weekend birds!! xo

a good morning

2011-08-04T08:07:00.000-04:00

Here is why today is already pretty awesome and its only 8:07 AM.

1. I am wearing an outfit that makes me happy. My favorite Sanuk flip flops that are even better because I bought them in Hawaii, cut off denim capris, a grey flowery tank top with a black cardie, my blue leather clutch and my noisy plume "I love your soul" tote. Also my toe nails are hot pink.

2. When I opened my door this morning someone had left me a very small and very fantastic antler. Over the weekend M had brought me an antler he had found in his travels the week before and it spent quite a bit of the weekend outside in the sun bleaching away some of the stains it picked up while laying in the woods. I can only assume that someone saw me out there with it and figured I like antlers. Whoever they are, I think they are wonderful.

3. I got a mocha and chocolate chip scone for breakfast.

4. This weekend will be spent camping at the beach. And its going to be sunny. :)

With a morning like that how can the rest of the day not be good?

strong

2011-08-03T12:13:00.000-04:00

joykeeper

Also my amazing niece said the other day "go ahead, throw dirt on me and I'll grow a wildflower." I don't think I was that smart at 16.

pink blossom album love

2011-08-02T12:19:00.003-04:00

I am getting back in the saddle as it were book making wise.

More to come. Have a fantastic Tuesday!

the joy of organizing

2011-08-01T18:11:00.003-04:00

Lately it seems that the work I have most needed to do has been organizing. My home, my thoughts, my day job, my life... Slowly but surely things are coming along.

And luckily I really like organizing...

But I am looking forward to the next creative stage :)

Have an awesome start to your week lovelies!

2011-07-28T18:04:00.002-04:00

count every beautiful thing

found

I am taking Friday off this week so my weekend starts now. And its going to be a wonderful weekend chickadees!

on alone time

2011-07-27T11:25:00.001-04:00

Hello lovelies.

Well, since recently moving out of my parents house after living there for about a year after my divorce I find myself doing a couple of things. First of all I am reveling in the freedom of it, of being able to decorate and cook and lay around and basically do just exactly what I want when I want (within reason of course). Its fantastic and I have missed it. But I also find myself feeling a bit lonely.

I have lived alone before (while separated from my ex, for about a year) and I loved it. I know that I will love it again. But I am having to relearn certain things about it.

Now, of course I know I am not REALLY alone. I have friends and family who are wonderful, a man in my life whom I adore (though he is gone pretty much every Mon-Fri for work), and an adorable kitty to keep me company.

This new place where I live is about 40 minutes from most of my friends in Portland proper and I worry that it will soon start to feel like too much effort to drive to see each other. I worry that I wont feel like making the drive for a random Tuesday night dinner with a girlfriend. But those things are important! And I don't want to miss out on them. So I will just have to make the effort and not let them slip through the cracks.

Living alone can be really fantastic, but just like anything else you have to learn how to do it right. How to take advantage of the good things and not mind the slightly negative ones.

I am working on it.

A thought: Its harder to remember that I know I am wonderful when I'm not surrounded constantly by people who also think so.

Also I think its important to appreciate those random connections you make with people. The conversation I had this morning with the lady who was repairing the printer about riding a train from Portland to San Diego and her fear of flying. I will try my best to not forget to see the value in those.

Now I bet most of you have already seen this, but go to www.andreadorfman.com/film.html and click on the first thumbnail photo to watch her how to be alone video.

its awesome.

Sorry to only post the link, I am having some computer difficulties this morning...

a few things...

2011-07-25T17:15:00.004-04:00

1. I love those moments when maybe you are feeling a little lonely or a little sad and suddenly you read something or find something or get something in the mail that makes you feel a whole lot less that way.

2. The move this weekend was successful! Yay! That is not to say however, that I am all unpacked. But I am well on my way. Decorating and rediscovering things I forgot I had is a good time.

3. Awesome quote via etsy's facebook:

To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. SO DO IT.

-Kurt Vonnegut

Hope your weekends were lovely and full of lots less work and heavy lifting then mine was. ~s

moving!

2011-07-22T15:57:00.004-04:00

photos via Apartment Therapy

Well, I have survived the week my moving day is (finally) almost here. I am mostly packed already, but will be 100% ready by tomorrow morning. I am pretty excited to get on with it already.
Unpacking and settling in is of course the best part of moving. And I am looking forward to it. I sort of just want to skip from right now to tomorrow afternoon...
But it will be fine. No worries :)

From the photos above apparently right now I am into bright colors, wood, displays full of small loved objects, full book shelves, and lots of plants.

Have a wonderful weekend all!

Kurt on authenticity

2011-07-20T16:27:00.001-04:00

found here

a-ok

2011-07-19T14:39:00.004-04:00

This has already been a busy (bordering on frantic at times) week and its only Tuesday.

But, today I am getting organized and I know everything is going to be fine. Things tend to work out eventually.

I will figure out how to fix my car and find someone to do it, hopefully it wont cost too much money, I will get packed, I will get moved this weekend, I will settle into the new place, I will get things done at work, and I will survive a week or two on my own.

Also

last night I somehow ended up parked on the street in front of a house dropping off a friend in the just about the same spot where I had been dropping off the same friend many years ago, and in that odd and interesting moment when we realized this, we also happened to see a coyote in the street just ahead of us. He sat and looked at us for a good minute and then turned and ran. Lots of cultures think that this is good luck, so in the words of my friend, it looks like we might just be on fate's good side.

you said it J.K...

2011-07-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

credit

Today I am seeing the last Harry Potter movie ever. Nicely done Rowling.
Hope everyone is having a great Saturday!

grassy leather love

2011-07-15T14:42:00.006-04:00

I finally finished the grass belt I was making for myself and I am super happy with it. Grass and belts are two of my very favorite things, so whats not to love??

I'm so happy to finally be able to wear it around.

***

This ones for you!

I also whipped up a little grassy leather key chain.

This baby will be in the shop shortly.

Hope everyone is doing something fun this weekend. Mine will mostly consist of fixing my car, packing, and of course a break on Saturday afternoon to see Harry Potter :) I cant wait!!

you belong

2011-07-14T11:58:00.002-04:00

found here

drink up

2011-07-13T13:40:00.001-04:00

credit

peg boards - awesome small space storage

2011-07-12T14:43:00.006-04:00

One of my many plans involved in moving into my new very small space is using a peg board or two for storage.

Mostly I plan to put one next to my work desk so that I can store a good number of tools on it. Also it will be painted turquoise.

credit

Another use that never occurred to me: over a desk you can store a calendar, clock, piece of art or even a little shelf.

Another awesome idea is to use these in your close to help store and organize accessories. The possibilities are endless :)

credit (2 photos above)

rushing water and the weekend

2011-07-11T14:44:00.007-04:00

This weekend included:

really yummy tinfoil dinners with steak and veggies washed by cold river water, reading by the river, some really great rocks, naps, beer kept cold by sitting on the river bottom, sunshine, and good company.

It was a relaxing, good weekend.

I am also feeling a bit odd. Like I need to pay more attention to the lower layers of things. Time is moving faster then I want it to. I find myself needing to remind myself that everything is ok, even though I already know it's true. Though I am not terribly behind I don't feel on top of things either.

Maybe this week I will try to fix that...

the joys of moving, creating a workspace and why I love a patio

2011-07-08T16:04:00.002-04:00

Now that I have a final move date (the 23rd, yayayayya!!!) for transitioning into my new place I have been figuring out what I need (since I sold pretty much everything I owned when I left Ohio and moved back to Oregon).

While I think I have it mostly figured out, I have been trying to find the perfect workspace/table/desk that I can use for a variety of mediums (leather, paper, paint, and I am hoping to get back to silver as well, so it must be quite strong and able to take a good beating) , and that will allow me to store my rather large collection of paper and book cloth that needs to be kept pretty much entirely flat (this mostly means I need a large shelf underneath the work surface).

So I have been looking at work spaces.

If anyone has any fantastic ideas for me, please oh please let me know! :)

***

I will also have a very tiny outdoor patio.

BUT its size will not keep me from thoroughly enjoying it. I will have a tomato plant, small herb garden, a very small grill and hopefully 2 chairs out there.

Here are a few outdoor ideas I came across in my browsing.

Though I cannot paint the door to my rental bright orange, I still dearly love this particular orange door and wanted to show you.

I am off to the Oregon coast this weekend. Hope you are all doing something wonderful :)

xo, ~s

All images found via Apartment Therapy.