bananafishstudio

memory lane

2012-01-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

When I decided to revamp the shop, I knew that some changes needed to be made. I didn't necessarily want to reduce my inventory, but I did want to do a better job of curating the shop. Streamlining my offerings so to speak. I've had the experience of working for a retail boutique that, in my opinion, sold too much of too much. There was product coming out of the woodwork. In many ways I felt that it made the shop feel a bit five and dime-ish...which was NOT what they were going for. Thinking about my time in that store made me feel it was time to be a bit more selective. For this reason I am retiring some of my old favorites.

Mini Flash Cards
while I adore these cards, they are not so hard to find as they kinda were when I first added them to the shop in September 2010.

Large Ledger Shipping Tags
These hold a special place in my heart. Not only did it introduce ledger backgrounds into my work but it was actually the very first item I designed for the shop. They made their grand debut in August of 2009...it's now time to bid them adieu.

Simple Words Journaling Cards
I'm not so much getting rid of these as I am changing them up a bit. They will now only be available in the larger 3"x4" size. I sold my very first package of these in September of 2009

Mini Message Cards
These were first introduced in February of 2010. At the time I hadn't quite seen anything like it and as you know...all my products begin by being something I want but can't seem to find. Interestingly enough, the original was a 3.5" square. These may return in a different size...I still really love them.

Faux Label Ledger Cards
Now these aren't going anywhere, but I do consider them an MVP of sorts. Now I know they're very popular these days...a graph with a label superimposed, but they certainly weren't a couple years ago. I know because I hunted high and low for them. Labels were in...layering, yeah, layering was in I guess. NOTHING like it is now. I was totally hoarding all my little Making Memories and 7gypsies labels. What was a girl to do? These came about fairly easily. Being sort of stingy with my labels I took to cutting them in half and using only a part at the bottom of my ledger tags...voilà! An idea was born...I sold my very first pack on February 3rd 2010. The original size was 2"x3.25." They are now sold in the 3"x4" size only. Even though a version of these cards seem to be popping up everywhere, I don't care. I still love them, I still use them and as long as you keep buying them, I'll keep selling them.

If some of these were your favorites, don't worry, I will still be adding them to a brand new Bananafishstudio Product...otherwise known as "ThisandThat Studio Sampler"

BTW...I've been totally inspired by this little trip down memory lane and have re-fallen in love with the original colors of the faux label cards. So much so, that I will be offering them in those very same colors again:)

Sorry about the quality of those photos...in most cases they were the very first ones I ever uploaded to the shop...I think I've improved a little bit:)

one little word::2012

2012-01-10T10:53:00.001-08:00

hows about a little Q+A

2012-01-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

this is how i look when i'm forced to go on a coffee run in the early AM. no makeup, hair tied up.

In the true spirit of half disclosure I thought it might be fun to do a little Q+A. Every once in a while I'll get email from readers asking me all manner of questions and I can't help but think...

1. are that many people really reading this thing?

2. do that many people really wanna know THAT?

the answer to number one is no.
the answer to number two is yeah.

So I will casually put aside my love/hate for this sort of thing and just answer some dang questions.

what does your husband do?
My husband is a writer. He works in advertising. He also watches a great deal of sports and history channel.

which Paper Source did you work at?
Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and Virginia Highland. Yup, all three.

why did you decide not to have kids?
Before I answer this one, I will say that I have been pretty open about not having children and have discussed it a bit on the blog so this question isn't as inappropriate as it may seem and was asked by a person who found herself on the fence so to speak.
This is a very short answer-I just didn't/don't want them and my husband agreed.

what if you change your mind and you're too old?
I dunno. I won't worry about something that may or may not happen in the future. By the way...i think my mom wrote that one.

how do you come up with the ideas for the things in your shop?
I look in a lot of unusual places and I go shopping. Shopping helps. Interestingly enough, I avoid anything scrapbook related.

do you think you'll ever go back to LA?
yes

do you craft alone or with others?
alone. I don't know very many people and those I do know are not paper crafters.

how do you handle working from home?
I think my tone on the blog would lead people to believe that I am quite extroverted, but I'm not. I am not shy, but I love the solitude of working from home. I sometimes go several days without talking to a soul but my husband. I'm trying to change this though.

what kind of blogs do you like?
it's funny, but I actually read a lot of mommy blogs. I don't read a lot of designy blogs. I don't know why. They're in my Reader, but I just don't visit that often. I like blogs with stories and really good, funny writing. I get annoyed when there are a million giveaways or guests or round-ups. It feels like filler content...but what do I know since most people seem to love that stuff.

what was the last thing you read?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy

will you start blogging more?
YES

when is the shop going to re-open?
SOON

oh...and just cuz i'm thinking about it. I thought I'd share the blogs I'm really digging right now:

Crafty/Life: Tina's...I wish I knew her, I feel like we would be friends except we would never see each other because i never leave my house and I'm bad at hanging out.

Crafty/Life: Elise...she just has so much energy and is always working on something. I envy her energy, I'm pushing 40 and I miss that. That reminds me....i need to take Vitamins. Oh...I also love the way she walks that fine line of revealing just enough about herself. I find it endearing.

Scrapbooky: Geralyn...she's like a scrapbooking genius. I seriously love everything she does. Oh and Kelly too... I make time for both of them.

Scrapbooky/Babies: Ok, so I should be clear, Stephanie also blogs about herself not just scrapbooking and babies. But MAN! she has 4 of the cutest little girls and I love that she seems fragile yet tough. Steel Magnolia comes to mind. She's also not afraid to laugh at herself.

Designy: Oh Hello Friend...I think Danni is sweet and has such a romantic/ vintagey aesthetic. She has also been very nice to me.

That seems to be a common theme with me. If I wouldn't wanna know them in real life, I probably can't be bothered with them online.

hello monday::2012

2012-01-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

source

so...Christmas happened while I was away, as did New Year's Day.

I wasn't exactly under a rock...just completely immersed in my family, my surroundings, and books. Boy have I read a lot of books in the last couple of weeks. Books that I put off because I just didn't have the time.

I Ignored Facebook, Twitter, my blog, email and even some of my friends. Why? Because I just needed a break. I needed some peace and silence...and isn't this the season of peace and silence anyway? That was rhetorical. I know that most holidays are filled with a lot of joyful noise...but mine wasn't...not this year, and that was an entirely different kind of nice. It was a pleasant cap on a wonderful year.

Last year my "one little word" was "challenge." I managed to do very well with some things and not that well with others. Interestingly enough, the year wasn't just about setting challenges for myself but confronting challenges unforeseen. There will always be challenges unforeseen. 2011 was the year I learned a lot about a lot. I have yet to settle on a word for 2012...but I have one I'm kicking around.

Instead of making firm resolutions, I like to think more about what I want the next twelve months to be like and the things with which I would like them to be filled.

I want to learn something completely new and foreign to me. I want to make discoveries. I want to play with paper and pictures. I want to tell stories. I want the courage to end relationships that no longer suit me and build relationships with people who fascinate me and have something to teach me. I want to listen to more music. Listen more in general...but more than that...I want to build relationships where I also get to do the talking, the asking and the sharing. I want to shrug off the Edith Wharton-esque manners with which I've been raised in favor of something more honest. I will end what needs ending and begin what needs beginning. I want to remember that "saying what you think" is child's play and Knowing what you think and keeping it to yourself is grace.

These things aren't solely for the new year, I suppose they are for every year.

So...here's what I'm planning for the next couple of weeks...The shop will be undergoing a bit of an overhaul. The Studio will be picking up and leaving Etsy in favor of Big Cartel-a much more cost effective platform. The blog will undergo a small cosmetic procedure...more like a tummy tuck rather than full facial reconstruction. Yes, I'm from Los Angeles and use plastic surgery terms as metaphors.

I will also be changing up the content of this blog. It's going to stay about me:) Additionally, I will be focusing on accomplishments...both personal and creative. I will be using less content from elsewhere. I have less need for blogs whose primary source of content comes from other blogs. I have always preferred those that share a personal perspective rather than just stuff I most likely have already seen making the rounds. I much prefer Pinterest for that sort of thing. I will share shop talk on Twitter and Facebook. My Twitter account is primarily personal but is really just a hodgepodge and I have no desire to change that. My Facebook is only for the shop so it's an excellent spot to visit if you are seeking updates. The blog and Pinterest are all mine and will contain a varied mix of things not to mention brief stretches of time without updates.

I am hoping to update the shop in early February but my ducks aren't all in a row yet. I have made some big changes after the difficulty I had keeping up with all the demand I experienced at Christmas time. You don't quit, you adapt...at least I do...so that prompted a search for help. I have now completely revamped my mini manufacturing process using a local small business as a much needed cog in the machine. That will free up more of my time to focus on design. Since I am also starting Project Life, I'm sure that will affect what I make as well.

I will be looking at my email for the first time in a few weeks tomorrow. If I owe you one, you will receive it shortly.

Happy 2012

high highs and not so low lows (the no pictures version)

2011-12-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

Wow. Today I was able to just take a breath. A nice long clear breath not filled with anxiety and stress and that feeling in my stomach that makes me want to hide under the covers. For the record, I'm not the hide under the covers type. I'm the press on no matter what type. I have had tremendous examples of that in my lifetime so it is definitely learned behavior as well as "no other choice" behavior.

The studio experienced some very high highs this season tempered by some medium to great lows. The lows were a result of my newness and sometimes dumbness. But, as I am fundamentally a smart girl, I have identified all of the low causing issues and that is a big thing. The studio will re-open when they are fixed and not a moment before. More on that later.

Whenever things go awry...and they do go awry you have to get a bit metal. For those of you not familiar with Taoist philosophy...well it's not a short explanation. Let's just say I had to buck up. I had to face my failures, I had to confess my shortcomings, I had to apologize and I had to do this in a non-bitchy foot stamping way. Owning a business, no matter how small humanizes you. It forces out all the craggy flaws into plain view and your customers decide whether they will flog or forgive. What they do is based on how you treat them. I have learned lots of lessons. LOTS. After it all I will tell you this...kind words are lovely, but treating your customers well means a lot more than a fine how do you do. You treat them well through great quality product, quickness and accuracy, doing what you say you will do. That's it. It's not magic, but when you get it all right it is sort of magical.

So, perhaps you might be saying to yourself...this sounds like a bunch of very low lows and that is not what you said in the title.

True.

That's because, when you are finally removed from a shit situation you gain a little perspective and a whole lotta context. Amidst my mini crisis....really great things happened. I had customers come out of the woodwork with words that lifted me up and kept me going. I discovered a generosity of spirit that humbled me. I got to do what I love in a place I love among people I love. That is a very high high. Watching my nephew package items, my mom punching circles, my sister and niece labeling and sorting and my brother...well, he provided comic relief:) Just thinking of it makes me weepy. Have you ever been so lucky? I hope so. I got the chance to not only feel my family's love and support, but to see it with my own eyes...laid out before me.

Context changes everything. The business stuff while intense is all fixable. I am a person of metal. This I know. I will not spend the rest of this glorious month looking back. The lows get one day. Today. That's it.

I have already set in place the foundation for the new shop. It will be different...and in this case, by different, I mean better.

Now I gots to go make my December Daily. We're 8 days in. EEK!

documenting a different sort of life

2011-11-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

Every year around this time I begin to think of ways to creatively document my holiday. I have a tiny family consisting of one other person, my husband. Sure I have quite a large extended family with whom I am extremely close, but we don't always spend the holidays together. Since choosing a life sans offspring I have had to endure many tactless comments surrounding my memory keeping such as: "I would never spend so much time/and or money on something if I wasn't doing it for my family (meaning children), that just seems selfish." Or, "you mean you just scrapbook yourself." Or, "what are you going to do with all of those books when you die?" That's my favorite.

First, while I acknowledge that I am in the minority here, there are a handful of other scrapbookers who devote their energies to recording their own lives like Kelly Purkey and Shimelle. Definitely two ladies who inspire me a great deal. Although my life differs from theirs...they are both great travelers, and me, not so much. The fact remains, we are all currently living life minus kids-and yes, we scrapbook for ourselves and count our friends, husbands, pets- as family.

Second, I choose to spend my disposable income on paper that I will use as a tool to tell my very own stories which are just as valuable as any...maybe even more so since they come directly from me. I don't use the word selfish very much since that isn't a great concern of mine. I am troubling no one by spending my time or money on myself. Guilt is a non-existent part of my life-at least when it comes to scrapbooking.

Third, I am not the least bit concerned what will happen to my books when I die. They will probably end up in the garbage. I am inclined to believe that many of the books made so lovingly for children will no doubt suffer a similar fate. The thing is- we can't know who will care or not care for our books. Perhaps mine will find their way into the Smithsonian:) or become a bit of an old timey storybook for a young girl also struggling with chub, glasses and a propensity for run-on sentences. Maybe it will just turn to dust in an attic somewhere.

When it comes to documenting my life I intend to do it my way. I care about the process of telling my stories, incorporating my pictures and playing with paper. These activities fill me with joy and appreciation for life. That is why I do what I do. To acknowledge the deep and abiding gratitude I have for this life that I am leading RIGHT NOW. To pay attention to the people and things that surround me and the everyday miracles that abound.

What better reason is there than that?

she has high hopes

2011-11-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

By she I mean me and by has I mean had.

I had high hopes.

I had high hopes:

That I could do a lot more in a lot less time
That the guest room would be fully unpacked and not just a place where empty boxes go to die
That I would be cooking more and depending less on evening scavenger hunts
That I would eat less sour skittles
That I would go to bed at a decent hour
That some of the things that I wanted to release this season didn't have to be placed on the back burner
That my house was ready for my family to descend upon me en masse in a few weeks
That I could spend more time decorating
That I wouldn't be spread so thin

Today I am working through some challenges. I feel lucky to have wonderful people around me who support me and love me. I feel blessed to have excellent customers and clients who trust me and are patient with me.

I know that the picture up top seems like it doesn't fit, but I just wanted it to be a reminder to myself that no matter what, just keep looking up:)

how I almost missed Fall

2011-10-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

So, let me set the scene...

Girl sitting alone in a peaceful albeit messy room...working away to the sounds of Nina Simone and Nicki Minaj her only view that of the backyard and her next door neighbor's dogs.

She suddenly looks out the window and up a bit and notices that the trees are changing color.

cue her inner voice...

HELLOOOOO! You are totally missing Fall. It's happening all around you and you're MISSING it. Throw on a sweater, open your eyes. take deep breaths and delight in your surroundings for goodness sake.

Incidentally, the inner voice has a British accent à la Judi Dench or the Queen of England...very posh and no nonsense.

Girl...gets up, quite shaken by the sound of her British inner voice and gets moving. She drives through the city and through her favorite neighborhoods...taking care to complete a few tasks while out...it's still a workday you know. She snaps pictures, pictures, pictures...drinks hot tea, walks about taking care to breathe deeply, looks out at the ships sailing by and thinks to herself...

I'm not missing it, I'm living it. Thank you self for the not so gentle reminder that time waits for no man....or woman.

just can't get enough

2011-10-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

At the suggestion of a friend, I decided to gather my wits and make a few stamps. No, I did not spend hours carving rubber, but I did spend a bit of time with *Mona, my trusty Macbook and churned out several designs.

Now it's one thing to look at a flat graphic and say to yourself..."self, that looks just right".

It is entirely something else to see your image professionally etched in rubber...especially if you are the sort that has never seen anything of yours etched in anything that exists...save for an address stamp. So...I sent my little designs off to get made. I opted to just get flat rubber since it was cheaper and then purchase some of this to mount them. This is what I got back in about a week's time:

And I added a few to a mini I'm working on. To say that this is the beginning of my stamp design career would be only a very slight exaggeration. I LOVE the results. I love them so much I find myself just looking at them in the little bowl I have on my desk. I ordered a lot...maybe 20 or so...a lot of them words that I often use in my favorite font.

Rubberstamp making is the new crocheting...at least in my house.

Stamps made exceptionally well and delivered incredibly quick by: rubberstamps.net

*I have never, prior to this post, referred to my computer as Mona...I'm just trying out potential puppy names for the puppy I don't have but really want.

when thanks seems small

2011-10-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

Today is that sort of day...when the word "thanks" seems dwarfed by the enormity of my gratitude. Thanks for visiting my small shop. Thanks for being interested and even excited. Thanks for losing sleep last night while waiting for my nocturnal update. Thanks for checking and rechecking the shop, my blog, and anything else that might have held a clue as to when product would be available. Thanks for exceeding my expectation and buying everything...TWICE. Thanks for telling me how much you love the packaging. It does my soul good to hear that for I am a girl that sometimes worries she's not a good enough designer. Thanks for being polite when requesting something... I hope you feel your kindness was repaid with my own. Thanks for your patience...sometimes it takes me a while to get things out...my hands are speedy, but sometimes my paper trimmer gets tired...yes I will blame the trimmer:) Thanks for telling your friends about me...I tell my friends about you too. Thanks for not caring that I often work wearing yoga pants and a messy bun. Thanks for the words...the countless words of support, praise and encouragement that you shower upon me. I keep those words in a special place to give me a bit of a boost when I feel low. Thanks for your money, that hard earned coin that is especially hard to come by these days. I will endeavor to make products that you find worthy of it. A special Thanks to those of you that keep coming back. I know you each by name and as I lovingly assemble, cut and package I hum to myself and think...I will pack a bit of love up with these journal cards and hope that when it gets where it's going...that you will open it up and find an itty bitty piece of my heart.

It's that time again

2011-10-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

Spotlight::Washi Tape

2011-09-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

I will admit to being just a wee bit wild about washi tape...was the enough "W's" for you:)

But for real, I am. Ever since I got that first roll of Hello Kitty tape in the red dispenser I was hooked. It was 4th grade and the Sanrio store was like a little slice of Japanese heaven. Trust me...before Sushi...Sanrio was all the rage. I guess it still sort of is judging from the bedazzled kitty that hangs around my niece's neck. It's nice to know that good things find a way to stick around.

I remember several years ago the only thing Washi I was aware of was the delightful Japanese paper. Then an explosion happened. I stumbled on a random blog that led me to another random site called Happy Tape. I certainly wasn't the only one who stumbled since the colorful adhesive has found it's way into some very cool and creative projects...from scrapbooking to home decor.

My washi obsession has led to me snagging a few rolls every time I visit a new paper boutique...that can be just a little bit hard on my pocketbook. Thankfully, there are quite a few options to download digital washi...which is perfect if you just want a snippet.

Speaking of snippets...I decided to create a Bananafishstudio download and give it away for FREEEE.
You guys know my love of all things faux...so how's about Faux Washi? Why not. Just download the pdf onto *white adhesive backed paper (I get mine at Staples) and go to town. You can rip it, snip it or whatever else you like. If you don't have a color printer, or you just don't want to bother...it will be showing up in the shop pre-cut and ready to go very soon.

So go get yourselves some Faux Washi and have a little fun. If you want to snag the real deal...visit here for some of my favorite.

*keep in mind, different printers may yield different results

coming soon...

2011-08-28T00:47:00.000-07:00

sneakpeek aug2011 from france wisniewski on Vimeo.

The Great Outdoors

2011-08-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend, on our way back from Portland, Keith and I decided to visit Mt. St. Helen's National Park. It was early Sunday afternoon and we had nowhere to be so we just went for it stopping at a few spots along the way to just absorb the beauty of the state in which we live. It's funny how a couple hours off the beaten path can lead to some valuable introspection.

Okay...I'm gonna go a bit deep here.

I felt like our little trip into the woods was like a metaphor. On my journey"deep" into the forest, I found that what moved me was really very simple. Trees, light, sky, water and mountains. It served as a gentle reminder that as I journey inward, what I need to feel happy is equally simple. Once I got past the traffic and buildings I found peace. In my day to day life it just isn't practical to skip off to the mountains. My peace will lie in walking away from the computer, shutting off the tv, going outside and spreading a blanket in the middle of my back yard and just lying there for a bit. Maybe going for a walk or heading off to my old neighborhood with my crochet hook and a ball of yarn sitting on a bench and watching the ships in Elliot Bay.

I am happy to reconnect with nature. Here's hoping we don't ever lose touch again:)

mark your calendars

2011-08-15T11:57:00.001-07:00

visit

you might wanna sit down...

2011-08-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

because this is going to be a long one. I plan to canvas several subjects before ending with a mighty exhale...but we're not there yet.

First, to those waiting ever so patiently for the Bananafishstudio shop to reopen, you only have to wait until the last week of August. I am setting up for a late summer/fall update which will serve as a precursor to the holiday update in early November. This update will include a restocking of standard BStudio tags and journalcards along with a few new designs. You know how I like to keep things pretty simple. I will also be introducing some new minibooks. I should have sneak peeks up early next week so check back. I have had a few setbacks this time around, the greatest of which has been the length of time it has taken me to unpack. Without some sort of dire impetus I am dreadfully slow:(

That covered, I will move on. You will notice that the above picture has little to do with anything I've written so far. It was taken on my recent trip to San Francisco. I adore the sweetly painted victorians that line those skinny streets. I attended a wedding in Los Angeles a few weeks ago but ended up flying out a bit early. I decided to enjoy some time in LA at the beautiful Fairmont while Keith was out there on production. After the wedding my sister and I took off on a week long roadtrip up the California coast (minibook to come). That week happened to coincide with Ali's Week in the Life project. Initially I thought it would be wonderful to capture the trip and use it for that project, but after returning home decided that I wanted it to be more reflective of REAL life rather than a vacation. I have decided to make next week my WITL documentation week.

Once I got home, I had little time to do anything but jump right back into work. With looming deadlines and a few boxes still waiting to be unpacked, I found myself having to do some pretty strict prioritizing. It's a bit tough to stay focused when you work from home. I always find myself either getting distracted by work...or the mounds of laundry accumulated over a few weeks of being away. I still feel like I'm playing catch-up.

August has been a blur of client projects, product design, unpacking and trying to eat like a normal person. I am sad to say that an untimely move coupled with being out of town led to some pretty bad eating. So, this month has been an effort to detoxify my system. Lots of water and green stuff. It isn't perfect...not even close, but I am making a significant effort to consume home cooked meals and take my vitamins.

So...what's left, ahhh, that's right- The ignoring of the blog...eek, how to explain but to say...I will try and do better. If there was ever a time to ignore something Summertime would be it, no?

in the land of sunshine and cars

2011-07-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am originally from LA and I've made no secret of the fact that I love my city. It ain't everyones cup of tea for sure, but it is mine...except for the cars.

If you've got a long commute...you probably hate LA Monday-Friday. It can be tough to navigate your way through a city with so many other folks trying to do the same thing. For all the people who've told me how much they dislike the place...so many more just keep moving there. LA is not kind to everybody, but it was very kind to me.

In the spirit of that kindness, I thought I'd share something of a shortcut with all those Angelenos somewhat familiar with the area extending from the westside to Sherman Oaks. A route I must have traveled a million times. I lived in Westwood my mom lives in the Valley. The 405 was like a lifeline, and now that I hear it will be shut down this weekend, I can't help but think....UHOH. That freeway is an unpredictable one. 2:00 AM on a Sunday=traffic, 8PM on a Saturday=traffic...holidays, high holy days, you just never know when there will be traffic for no apparent reason.

So here you go...this isn't really a shortcut cuz it takes as long as the Pass sometimes, but I've rarely seen cars on it. Who knows...it might be very popular now, but it's worth a shot if you're trying to get from the westside and you are a bit familiar with the area.

I call it the Bel Air back way: Hang a right off Sepulveda ( I can't remember the street) but it might be Moraga. I've also called it the street with the two gas stations. The road to the right will split...go up and to the left. You are basically headed toward Bellagio which will take you to Roscomare. Left on Roscomare and proceed over the hill or toward Mulholland. Once you get to Mulholland you can take a variety of ways over. I always preferred Woodcliff, but you can do the more popular Bev Glen as well. Woodcliff takes you to Valley Vista which runs just south of Ventura. There you go.

You can see this route if you go to google maps and zoom in on the Westwood area. It's twisty but pretty. I'm sure a million other people probably know this route...but it can't hurt right? Good luck Los Angeles...my thoughts are with you this weekend.

Petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid

2011-07-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

A fan of idioms in general, I've always loved this expression in particular. It might mean something entirely different, but to me it always meant...slowly, but surely and that would be a very apt description of my current state of affairs.

Slowly but surely I am unpacking the contents of my life.

Slowly but surely the Studio is coming together.

Slowly but surely I am making a few changes to the Shop.

Slowly but surely things are returning to normal.

It was my intention when I closed the Bananafishstudio shop in June to be aggressive with my schedule and reopen mid July. But...as you well know...the best laid plans do not always come to fruition. I took the above picture a couple hours ago. That means it's current...VERY current. It's impossible to do any work in there while it's in such a state of chaos.

Additionally, I am fine tuning some things on the operation side. I am still not quite satisfied with how I handle volume. Being a company of one, it gets difficult, but I have learned some very valuable lessons and I'm incorporating some new things to ensure the same great quality with speedy ship times. That would be ideal, no?

Next week will find me in Los Angeles. Attending a wedding, taking a roadtrip to northern California and being away from boxes for a little while. Thankfully most of the house is now unpacked:) I wanted to get the shop in order prior to that date but I don't see that happening. All that's left is to accept and move on. Sooooo, I am tentatively setting a reopen date for August 5th. That's a good round number...right?

to DIY for

2011-06-21T00:14:00.000-07:00

image from jak&jil via honestly...wtf

so don't laugh at the lame post title...not original, but certainly both cute and fitting.

I think Summer is all about projects...especially since I'm not of fan of sun bathing. My projects this season include finishing a couple crochet blankets, growing some sort of vegetable, completing my move, reading a few books...and making some of these.

image via honestly...wtf

Yup, I know these babies tend to pop up on the arms of celebrities and such every summer...and I've already seen them on a bunch of blogs the last couple of months...why? Because they're supercute and easy to make. Even though my embroidery floss is all packed up...Thanks to the wonderful tutorial on Honestly...WTF, I will certainly enjoy whipping up a few to commemorate Summertime, craftiness and that year I spent in the Girl Scouts.

you've got the love

2011-06-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

image source

as you can imagine I am currently knee deep in boxes and I assure you that, though I do have a penchant for hyperbole, what I express now does not stray far from the absolute truth. It is staggering the amount of stuff two people can acquire whilst on their journey toward middle age. Keith despises the bits and pieces like plastic containers- many of which are lacking lids. Surprising as it may seem, I hate all the paper-old tax returns, documents I am loathe to get rid of like instructions for appliances I have had for YEARS. UGH it really does make us want to chuck it all sometimes and go live in a yurt.

Like every move, we are presented with the grand opportunity to purge. The word "down-size" is liberally used as we both vow to be ruthless in our packing. Despite these excellent intentions-we still end up on the other side with far too many plastic containers sans lids. Unpacking is also ruthless and what made it into the box does not always make it into the cupboard. It's like Hollywood week on American Idol. One area that is currently being decided upon is our fledgling library. Keith and I, both readers, both somewhat scholarly at different points in our lives, have collected many many many books. I now have an entire wall filled with boxes stacked taller than myself. The contents of those boxes are of the literary variety. We are both on the verge of releasing ALL of it save for a few favorites...and I do mean few. We own more books than clothes, than dishes, than just about anything and as it stands we have little room to continue our collection. Keith has an Ipad and I will soon be switching to an E-Reader. I know many purists talk of paper books with such reverence. The heft, the smell, the nostalgia. I get it, I guess....but I am not that sort. I love beautiful hardcovers as design elements, but those aren't the books I read-they are displayed in some pleasing way. The ones I read are light, and flimsy and mass produced. They do little but entertain me for a bit then sit and take up space.

I met an older man the other day at my local coffee shop reading away on his little gadget and I asked him his opinion. He informed me that anyone who is a "real" reader knows that the love of books and the love of reading are two different things. While he indulged his love of books themselves by occasionally purchasing one he found to be particularly lovely-he far preferred the ease of simply reading to his heart's content without worrying where to put it afterwards. Sounds good to me.

I think those boxes of books may be off to please a whole new set of eyes.

That said... I must now return to the task at hand. Moving day is fast approaching and we're not quite finished yet. So I will turn on some music...I've been listening to Florence+the Machine a lot-hence the title of this post-it makes me think of Keith and how all of this would be decidedly less fun without him.

BTW: the OG The Source + Candi Staton version is awesome and the one with which I grew up

it's moving time

2011-06-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

In the last three years I have experienced two very big moves and I am now gearing up for a smallish one. My current place is in an absolute state of chaos. Now that all shop orders have been shipped and work deadlines have been met, all I want to do is take a week long nap. Sadly, I will not be napping for a while. There is much to do in a month's time and while I am excited to be starting anew with a fresh canvas, I don't relish the packing process. Since we are moving locally and intend to do a great deal of purging, Keith and I have decided to pack ourselves rather than hire packers as we've done in the past. Thankfully, I have learned a great deal simply from watching experts pack that I'm feeling pretty confident.

The new place is fairly close to where I live now, but it's a house rather than a condo. With Summer so near, I am looking forward to having a beautiful outdoor space. Our new landlord apparently has a VERY green thumb and has tended his garden so lovingly. Here's a peek:

from the heart of myself

2011-05-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to Oprah and what she did for chubby smart girls of color-or this chubby smart girl in particular.

The Oprah Winfrey show debuted about about a month before my 13th birthday. Until that day, I had never seen anyone like her on TV.

For all the major moments of my life Oprah was there, in the background....weeping, laughing, praising, advising, getting thin, getting fat, getting thin again.

I know that she is not beloved by everybody...and at times, I've had my own beef with O...the way you would with a friend who gets on your nerves when she tells you what you just don't want to hear. There were times when she got a little too new agey and sometimes I felt like....being so RICH...maybe she just didn't get me anymore...and I wanted to say Hey Oprah,

remember me?

...the chubby smart girl just trying to be happy and confident in her own skin?

But she didn't forget...
she never forgot.

There were days when something she said felt as though it crawled up from my very own soul.

So Oprah...if you're reading this, which I'm sure you are:)

what I know for sure?

You will be missed
by a chubby girl with glasses who is doing all she can to answer the call and live her very best life.

xoxoxox

slow your roll

2011-05-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

another words, I'm doing my best to try and relax. Sometimes it seems like my life is either very busy or very boring. There's nothing in the middle. In addition to packing product, putting out small fires (figuratively), meeting deadlines and the mad dash to the post office before it closes...my landlord has decided she has other plans for the condo that has been our home since we moved to Seattle almost two years ago. As a renter and as a person, I'm not particularly sentimental...I actually like to change my immediate environment quite often, but dang lady...gimme a couple months.

No such luck, we get one month, and a week or so. Now...if I was having one of those aforementioned boring spells then the hunt coupled with the prospect of decorating a new space would actually be kinda fun...but I am not in the midst of a boring spell, but rather a busy spell. VERY BUSY to be exact. did the caps convey just how overwhelmed I am?

Thanks goodness for my guy who is taking on a lot of the calling and emailing...but renting is tough in Seattle right now...and we can be picky. HELLO, can a girl get a nice bathroom, sheesh. Note to all future landlords: taking pictures of a place with someone's cruddy stuff is bad...i wanna see it empty ok...like BARE. Plus, what's up with the 2500 sq. feet and one 3x3 bathroom?

The good thing? I'm making progress...soon I will have a new place to live...all my customers will have their packages and the world will right itself...till then...I will just have to soothe myself with bread.

bread photo taken with my iphone at an amazing dinner I enjoyed this past weekend

helloooo sunshine

2011-05-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

yup, that's right the sun is shining in Seattle and it feels like something special. I managed to escape my self imposed work around the clock schedule and headed out for lunch with my guy. Things are swell in the studio right now...I'm working on a bunch of orders so the shop is on hiatus for a little while until I get a handle on everything. I can't complain--May has been going just swimmingly and as I get closer to the 6 month mark I really need to refocus on some goals I made for myself this year.

I don't know if you do that, but right around this time I start thinking about the things I set out to accomplish and determine what still needs work. Right now I'm looking ahead and feeling good.

no rest for the wicked

2011-05-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

you see that pinkish light there on the leftt? That's the EARLY morning view from my living room window...it is a rather nice view with which to wake up, but not so nice when you're just barely heading to bed. Sleep is a fragile thing in my home. I have issues with sleep that have existed since childhood. I can be an anxious fidgety sort yet, with some effort, manage to come across as relatively calm. When I am overwhelmed sleep becomes even more elusive. Right now there is a lot on my shoulders but it is not my way to tie myself in knots...at least not for very long;)

My way. The way in which i was raised, was to roll my sleeves up and get to work.

a story...and maybe a tiny weep

2011-05-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, so for some it may not be a big deal....well, for most really. But, for me, it is the biggest of deals...

that people-all of whom I do not know and will never have the pleasure of meeting, forked over their hard earned cash for something that I made.

The Bananafishstudio etsy shop started in my bedroom in 2007...but I didn't know what to make...(I was thinking I didn't know what would sell) So, it lay dormant until July 2009. I was in Atlanta...far from my beloved West Coast, my family, my friends and in a completely new environment for the first time in 36 years. Two friends came to see me. Monica and Jillian...the same two that visited me here in Seattle when I first arrived. Two amazing women that never failed to inspire me...and I was inspired-to enjoy my surroundings and not waste time. So with a little (lot) of help from my husband, my family and my amazing sister, I realized...I'll just make for others exactly what I make for myself and I won't worry about selling anything.

Well, I sold something. 1000 somethings...more than that by now...and I have you to thank...you and this lady. If she visited me she would find all her books and maybe a little shrine...(no shrine:) but I do have her books. If it wasn't for her tweets that reach far more people than I will ever know...it would have taken me a lot longer to get to this point.

The reality: my shop is still teeny and my ambitions are still rather small. I have a definite plan forward that will always include making things that I love and hoping others just might love them too. My focus is to enjoy NSD, fill a bunch of orders, restock the shop and eventually come up with some new stuff...but right now...I'm gonna drink a nice hot cup of tea.

thank you. my heart is full today.

cue the tiny weep

So What's New?

2011-05-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

I've decided to try something new on the blog. Videos. I don't know how often I'll be able to do it, or if anyone will even watch...but they're fun to make and sometimes easier than typing out a whole post.

My first video is a pretty simple one. I've been shopping up a storm lately...and I decided to document some of my newest purchases. What is it about springtime that makes me want to buy new craft supplies? I don't know....but this will probably be it...at least for another month or two:)

a super short delay

2011-05-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

one day to be exact. See you HERE on Friday, May, 6th

happy May Day

2011-05-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

project :: doing it your way

2011-04-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

Since I decided to send out my photos to be printed (wanted to check out the quality of my local drugstore) I am not quite finished constructing the minibook that I wanted to share today. So, in lieu of that project post, I thought I would share another one of my ongoing projects.

This may seem less like a project to some, but for me...well, it's something I work on every day.

I have been papercrafting most of my life and scrapbooking, in it's current form, for just about ten years. I've seen trends come and go...not just in scrapbooking but in everything. I have been alive since the early 70's so I have seen many things come and go and come again. When I first started scrapbooking I

LOVED IT.

I loved the idea of mixing my English lit background with my somewhat recently acquired design skills. I loved telling my story and documenting my life in a way that felt authentic to me. And I will admit...I loved all the stuff. The eyelets and brads and buttons oh MY! I became a collector of scrapbooking accoutrement, and the more I collected the less I scrapped. It took me a few years before I completely burnt out. In those few years I taught regular workshops at my local scrapbook store, I attended CHA and I got to meet some industry insiders and you know what happened? I realized...
scrapbooking is a business, and as a consumer...a devoted one, I was allowing the "business" to dictate my style.

The business told me:

owls are in but other birds are out. Modern is in vintage is out...unless you are so and so...she can do vintage because it's HER thing. Stickers are out rubons are in...oh, hold on we spoke too fast...stickers are back in again. Diecuts are OUT, punches are in...but then before you know it Diecuts are back...fancy machines to diecut at HOME are the new thing. No doubt there are a lot of people who know exactly what I'm talking about.

So one day...about 5 years ago, I turned off the chatter. I stopped subscribing to scrapbook magazines. I stopped visiting my favorite message board and I just stopped scrapbooking and indulged my other loves. I reveled in technology and design, I crocheted, I read books and traveled. My life was wonderful except

I missed it. I missed telling my stories. I missed all the tools and the bits and pieces. I missed the act of documenting my life...complete with stickers and birds.

I knew that if I returned it would be on my own terms. I had just begun to discover blogs and the online scrapbooking community and it satisfied my love of scrapbook talk. I realized that I no longer knew what was cool and that made me feel liberated. I started incorporating all my old stuff with some of the new stuff that appealed to me. I started making my own embellishments way before etsy existed. I found a way to be involved in a wonderful community without allowing the "Business" of scrapbooking to influence me.

Does that mean that I don't check out some of my favorite scrapbook sites to see what was new at the recent CHA-no way, of course I want to know. I like being aware of the trends in many different areas...even if I have no plans to subscribe to those trends. The industry didn't change, I did. I suddenly realized that this hobby was for me. Nobody else really cared. I've never submit my work for publication, my own blog following is relatively small. No one was going to care if I used old paper or outdated embellishments...or my own handmade embellishments...maybe they might even like it.

and they did. That's why I have an etsy shop now. Who knows if people will always care about the little things I make. I prefer not to concern myself with that and remember what I truly love

...me, in the dead of night...humming softly, trimming paper...telling stories and making things.

the weekender

2011-04-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

Things were pretty quiet here at the Wisniewski House this weekend. We stayed in for the most part...I, crafting, packaging, crocheting and sneezing and Keith doing other stuff that involves drawing funny sh*t, sports and copious amounts of the history channel. I now know more than ever about the Vatican library.

We got out for a bit on Sunday so we wouldn't be the only two fools not enjoying the beautiful yet spotty sunshine this weekend. Since our car is being serviced we walked and it was nice albeit a little colder than it looked.

Once we made it back home I continued working on getting some orders packaged and out as well as setting the stage for a minibook making. I hope to have that completed sometime this evening and will post my process tomorrow or the next day. There's so much info, I'm kinda wondering how to approach it. It's not a tutorial just a..."this is what I did" kinda thing. Thinking I might take pictures and create a mini movie with a voiceover by moi...too ambitious? Probably. We'll see.

Until then I will be spending a bit of time with this today...I'm well on my way to completing my second blanket of the year.

pattern is the pop wheel motif from Sarah London

neighborhood spotlight::charlie+may

2011-04-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

I love what I discover when taking a stroll through my neighborhood. I especially love the chance to support small business in my community. Newcomer to the Hill is the modern gift/gallery Charlie+May.
This is a lovely spot filled with sun and features beautiful wood furniture pieces from local Slab Art in Ballard.
If you're looking for minimal ipad cases, modern home decor items, or just on the hunt for a little eye candy then you may want to pay the folks at Charlie+ May a little visit.

I walked away with this bright orange Iphone case which is perfect for a girl that always loses her phone.

mini ledger tags

2011-04-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I find myself using these tags for just about everything. Giftgiving, scrapbooking, cardmaking, packaging my etsy product, I even use them as bookmarks. The size (1.75" x 3") makes them extremely versatile.

Check out some of my favorite ways to use them:

Giftgiving:

Scrapbooking:

Cardmaking:

I also really love stamping on them and using them in mixed media projects. Here is my basic distressing techniques, but to see a really useful video on how to achieve the distressed look...go here.

click to enlarge

To pick up some tags of your own go HERE. Tomorrow I will tackle minibooks.

icon seals

2011-04-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

When I was young I would spend hours drawing simple images. They were always basic and I suppose could be attributed to my limited abilities as well as my love of Sanrio. When I was in fourth grade Hello Kitty was huge and I found myself accumulating an ever growing stash of pencil cases, notepads, sweet smelling erasers and colorful pens. Hello Kitty is really were my love of graphic iconography was born. I think that sweet little cat with the pink bow really was the beginning of a life long love affair with all things related to stationery.

I decided to begin this week of crafts by sharing a few ways I put my icon seals to use. I actually made them some time ago, but never put them in the shop. They originally started out as stickers, but because of the tiny pinked edges I had an awful time getting the backing off and the edges would end up bent or ripped. So my QA department, consisting of myself, decided to set them aside and rethink them later.

Well later came this spring. I wanted an to create an embellishment that was both small and colorful. I redesigned them a bit adding a subtle graph background and decided to print them on cardstock. I am much happier with the results and have been using them quite a bit.

scrapbook layouts

birthday cards

envelope seals

now available HERE

craft accoutrement and a new business card

2011-04-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

This week on the blog I'm getting back to basics and just crafting up a storm. What I really wanted to do was show you how I incorporate my Bananafishstudio products into my own paper projects. I mean, that's how I started the etsy shop...by making things I wanted to use. I know it's hard to believe but back when I first started card making and scrapbooking there weren't very many paper companies making the types of vintage inspired products I love. Now it seems like everyone is doing it...but I made my own ledger tags almost 10 years ago and just figured it was easier and more fun to keeping making instead of buying. I especially love mixing vintage office supplies with more modern supplies like washi tapes and man oh man I have a major love affair with punches...anyway...here are my most beloved tools/supplies at the moment. As my crafting style and interests evolve, so does my supply list.

1. corner chomper: this thing will round corners on chipboard...I've even tried it on very thin wood

2. blending tool: yes, I sometimes like things to look a bit old...this tools along with the sponges helps

3. distress ink: really all ink, but I use this one sooo much. it's my favorite for creating a shabby look

4. stamps: I use a lot of stamps...mostly on cards, but I've started using them a lot more in minibooks

5. date stamp: this gets used on almost every scrapbook layout and goes with me for travel minis

6. thread: recently I have the need to sew on everything...mostly a quick little machine stitch

7. clear ruler: this one has a thin metal edge so I can see through it and use it with my exacto

8. craft knife: I do own two tonic guillotine trimmers, but nothing is better or more accurate than this

9. small tonic scissors: I should tie these around my neck. I use them so much yet they are always getting lost under stacks of paper

10. washi tape: I am trying to incorporate more of these tapes. I have a healthy stash and I need to use it

11. tape runner: I've used a million different kinds and always return to this one

12. butterfly paper punch: any punch really...but this one gets a LOT of use.

13. sharpie fine point: I do all my writing with this. I just love it and it's acid free

14. buttons: I love using these for little pops of color...I just bought a die cut so I can make my own out of chipboard.

15. tiny attacher: who doesn't like a stapler that attaches with teeny tiny staples

So there you have it...my must haves. I didn't include paper because that would be an entirely different post.

and before I go...a quick peak at my new business card. It's a do it yourselfer. I still have some older ones that I ordered from MOO, but I wanted something a bit more basic for my etsy packages. This one was printed on my computer, but I already bought the stamp.

living my best life volume 1

2011-04-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

I know that's a weird title. It's all Oprah and uplifting and not really my style...but I do love Oprah. And who doesn't want to live their best life?

Fridays on the blog are all about me discussing food, my body, and where things are at on my journey to get healthy and...well...live my best life. If you are new to the blog then a few facts right off:

I'm a plus size girl. Not kinda plus size, but most definitely plus size.

I am a lot of things besides a number on a scale.

Weight gain can happen to anyone who neglects themselves for too long.

My issue with food? I love it and I eat way too much of it.

I've dealt with the inside, now it's time to conquer the outside.

For me, discipline is something that happens one minute at a time.

I want to be strong not skinny...but I won't mind if skinny is a byproduct;)

So that's it.
Every Friday I take stock and I thought that I would use this blog as a place to document it.

So what worked and didn't work this week?

Well, I'm still down 10 pounds for March, but I'm soft. I need to kick the exercise part up several notches. I really wanted to work on the eating first, but I found that I had trouble with that this week. Flying by the seat of my pants does NOT work. Planning does. I also skipped a few days in my food journal and found myself slowly spiraling back into old habits. I also see how everything is connected. Not eating well leads to poor sleeping which leads to a feeling of heaviness the next day. That listlessness makes it so HARD to get up and move. On a positive note I'm still only taking the stairs and not the elevator...even when I have a ton of groceries. Baby steps.

Next week's goal:

Plan meals and shop on Sunday
Write in my food journal everyday
Workout 4 days this week
and don't worry about the scale

see you next Friday

wednesday mash up

2011-04-06T10:18:00.000-07:00

it's flower week on photaganist

Oh Dear! Well I guess I'm not keeping to my blog plan now am I? What can I say?

C'est la vie.

In an attempt to rescue this blog from boredom I am including this mid-week mashup in lieu of what was supposed to be here.

Sit tight because this may very well prove to be a long post.

Okay. I'll begin with the weekend recap. The best way to sum it up since I didn't take a single photograph would be semi productive. If K hadn't had to work it would have been first rate. I spent a great deal of time organizing my workspace on Saturday and spent an equal amount of time doing very little on Sunday.

Now on to project Tuesday. I am sadly behind on many projects because of work. The kind that pays. I've got a couple of jobs going right now that require a considerable amount of attention. I'm logging so many computer hours that by evening I'm too tired for extracurriculars. I desperately need to get cracking on one project in particular that involves completing a package that has been "in progress" for MONTHS. I am ashamed to admit how negligent I've been. It is a gift for the kindest person I know and I feel awful that I've let so much time slip by without letting her know how greatly she is appreciated. Ugh...moving on.

Now we are up to speed and since Wednesday is for weblove. Allow me to share a bit.

First some background.

Remember how I mentioned a few paragraphs back that I organized my workspace? Well, in so doing I found a bunch of things I forgot I had. Many of which were of the rubber stamp variety. I adore rubber stamps. I really do. Even though I did a large giveaway last year I seem to have accumulated quite a bit since then. The tragedy? I haven't actually used them. They are sitting pretty in their original packaging just dying for a little ink and purpose. My great hope over the next week...even though I have a deadline looming, is to try and make some stuff. Namely cards since my store of greetings are sadly depleted. I know, I could just buy cards right? But I won't...at least not until I've used some of those stamps. Plus, I'm confident I can make far lovelier cards than I can buy. Ambitious, no?

So right...what am I sharing? The sites I visit when I need some stamping inspiration. If you're not into that? We can just say our goodbyes now. xoxo

Impress

Papertrey Ink

Kristina Werner

A Creative Mint (not a stamp site but the best images ever)

Ashley Newell

back to regularly scheduled programming

2011-04-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

I admit, that while preparing to reopen the shop, I fell off the normal blog posting that I had promised. Now that things are up and running I can take a deep breath and move on.

so what's on the docket for today? That would be food. I am currently working toward becoming more healthy, more alert, more energized and I think a lot of that has to do with how I eat. My meals of late have consisted of a lot more natural products and a lot less boxed or packaged foods. Since I work from home and have a pretty forgiving schedule, I knew that cooking my own meals would be important.

This week though has been less than successful. I realized that I would have to plan for when my schedule got more hectic. Sure, it's easy to spend time cutting vegetables, defrosting meat, searching for yummy recipes when you've got a bit of downtime. All of that becomes near impossible with a deadline looming and a virtual shop to open. No complaints of course, I'm happy with my lot, but there sure were a few dinners consisting of very very little. I'm talking a bowl of carrots people. Who has energy to do anything when they don't eat. I found that, at least for me, eating too little is just as damaging as eating too much and if I was going to find that sweet spot in the middle then I would have to learn some balance.

Balance is key. I believe people eat how they live and if their life is unorganized and haphazard, often times so is there eating. I cannot afford that behavior so I have to plan. Not just for the days when I can take my own sweet time preparing a meal, but for the days when all I have time to do is warm something up.

It's all good, I'm still trying hard to listen to my body, and 10 pounds down for the month of March is not a bad start. I'm not expecting as much in April...but who knows? I'm challenging myself.

can you dig it?

2011-03-31T22:47:00.000-07:00

image here

I received an email today from a thoughtful person who shared a bit of information with me.

"I think I found something being sold that is very much like your__________"

The link she provided confirmed she was right in her assessment.

She then went on to express how badly she felt...probably because it was a larger company and she knew I would be facing an uphill battle in the event I decided to object.

My response. "no problem" as in...it doesn't concern me. Later I was informed by a completely separate party that my response was ambivalent and didn't I want to fight for my art...blah,blah,blah

no, i don't.

I love creating things for my etsy shop. LOVE IT. I make the sort of things I want to use and for me, it's a labor of love.

I don't operate under the presumption that everything I make is original.

I am a collector. I collect what I hear, the images I see, the books I read. It's all information and as such gets filtered and finds it's way into my work. Let's be serious. I base much of my stuff on vintage office and school supplies. I know everything comes from something else

I hope that anyone who sees my work and is tempted to recreate it does a better job than I. I hope that I can do a better job of whatever comes next for me.

I guess that's my deal. I don't worry about the things I've made because they are already done. Who cares if there's something out there that looks eerily like my own...in my mind I am already designing the next thing. I'm already on the move.

This is a great post that sorta mirrors my way of thinking and comes across much more succinctly than my own ramblings.

and to the company who is recreating my work...

You're welcome

the weekender

2011-03-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

this weekend found me up to the eyeballs in work but I still made time for an evening with C&A, a heartstopping basketball game (hooray VCU!), and getting some sneak peaks up. My goal this week is to get the shop open and stocked over the next few days.

In other news...our assignment this week on photaganist was flora. Thanks Charlie. He's in California and I'm certain that all sorts of things are just exploding through the earth...but in Seattle, not so much.
I had to buy ranunculus from Trader Joe's just to have something to photograph. Ugh. Well...in order to keep up my end of the bargain I will make some time to snap a few pictures of dirt and hopefully whoever sees them will show me a bit of kindness and imagine something lovely emerging from its winter slumber.

new products::sneak peak

2011-03-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

don't forget that these items as well as my standard stock will be available in my shop on Wednesday, March 30th.

project: get my shop re-opened

2011-03-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

I'm skipping a few posts this week so that I can get the shop going again. I will be debuting a couple new items...check back this weekend for some sneak peaks.

Happy Spring

the weekender

2011-03-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

view while crossing the magnolia bridge

I found this weekend to be particularly interactive. That is highly unusual for me since most days I prefer to lay low. But, every once in a super moon, my social calendar gets quite full and I find myself conversing and laughing with people other than myself.

On Saturday we were invited to attend a party for a little girl...and by little I mean we were celebrating her first year on this earth. Can you imagine? A room full of children under the age of 6 and me. I was actually a bit awestruck. The volume at which children can speak, the amount of food that ends up on their person, the pure joy they find in destruction...it's all so stimulating to me. I found myself completely taken in by their abandon. I know you may think I'm being facetious but I'm not. Children truly fascinate me. All in all it was a fun time. We met some supernice people and although we have no plans to travel down that road ourselves, it's nice to occasionally go sightseeing.

Later that day we were happily surprised by a somewhat cryptic email. One that I had been expecting for some time. K and I were invited to an impromptu gathering wherein we would become privy to some very special news. We soon found out that one of my dear friends had become engaged and we spent the evening imbibing and laughing. The merrymaking continued into the wee hours and a fine night was had by all. Congratulations Andie and Christian. Nous vous souhaitons tout le bonheur du monde!

I wrapped things up quite nicely with a quiet Sunday that involved all of my favorites. A bit of paper play, basketball watching, book reading, a nice dinner with the best company and a late night chat.

Hope you had a divine weekend as well.

free day

2011-03-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

The sun is out, I am freshly showered and coiffed...that means I am about to step outside and breathe some fresh air for a bit. On the agenda:

Very little to be frank.
Off to a birthday party for a very cute little girl
then to buy a book
snap some pictures of whatever flora I can find
see a movie
and who knows what else

on Saturdays I play it fast and loose. Actually, that's sorta my style everyday.

I will leave you with this video that inspires me to grab my scissors and glue stick.

oh...and since Saturday was supposed to be all about "shop news," here's the deal...

I'm working on it.

in observance

2011-03-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure the people of Japan are on your mind as well, so if you are able...

Since I will not be blogging today I will postpone my Friday Food post till next week. If you'd like to check out some food pics that Charlie and I took you can find them on our photo blog.

in pictures...

2011-03-17T23:46:00.000-07:00

most days begin with tea

then a brisk walk

my favorite path

the view during my morning walk

a trip to the mac store. YAY VCU

a cute print at Land of Nod

when i was little i thought these were about me

afternoon tea...yup it's about 4pm

spring is coming

couldn't resist a little stamp shopping

on my way to pick up keith

grab a few things for dinner

oh...almost forgot...this is from yesterday. ALL DONE. (don't judge)

making dinner

i didn't get a picture of me working, watching Modern Family or my nasty papercut...but all of that happened as well.

wednesday::weblove

2011-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

pattern and image found here

As promised, I put together a small list of my very favorite places to indulge my love of yarn and crochet. I didn't put them in any particular order and I visit them all for different things. Whether you are a budding hooker or have been doing it for a long while my hope is that you will find something that makes you swoon. By the way...if you have a suggestion for me...a site you just know I would love, please do share:)

Ok...so I visit Attic 24 at least once a week. It is colorful, happy and real. You can tell how much joy Lucy gets out of crochet and that joy is addicting. She is also very generous when it comes to sharing patterns. They are always simple and straightforward which is wonderful for someone like me who still prefers patterns that are written out.

Sarah London is an Australian based crocheter (is that a word)? She has plenty of simple patterns for sale and I love how she seeks out images of knits on the runway. I think some people believe that crochet is an old person's hobby...but it's not. It can be whatever you want it to be, a pastime, a stress reliever, or a means to make a little money. It's a versatile art.

Alice at Futuregirl is another blog I like to visit. Her site is a bit mixed...devoted to craft as a whole with emphasis on yarn and fabric. Thanks to her I learned to foundation chain which is so very very important if you hate that stiff beginning row that occurs when making a normal row of single crochet.

Teresa is my go to person when it comes to tutorials-you name it, circles, granny squares...her YouTube videos were so easy for me to follow...I still visit her when I forget how to decrease or half double crochet. This was the first site I discovered quite sometime ago when I was learning how to do more than basic single crochet.

The Purl Bee is another one of those sites that combine fiber and fabric art. There's a lot of knitting on this site but plenty of crochet as well. The giant granny square blanket is my favorite. It's a simple pattern that you can make over and over again. They also have a very good crochet basics tutorial illustrated with very pretty pictures.

Sara at TangledHappy has so many colorful ideas and tutorials. The ipod cozy is perfect for beginners and works up really fast for a last minute gift. This is a great site for projects and simple patterns.

And last but certainly not least...a new blog I've added to my rounds. Alice at Crochet with Raymond...lots of pictures, lots of patterns and a peak into her life in beautiful New Zealand.

Now for community and shopping. This will be kind of short. I only belong to Ravelry...I don't know if there are others out there but I know that I like this one. Plenty of links to free patterns and people who love what you love.

As for where I buy yarn...I have a few spots I like locally here in Seattle but I always seem to spend my precious pennies at Joanne's or Michael's. I know it isn't the best yarn but it's usually what I can afford.
I loooove the yarn at Purl Soho but so many of those yummy fibers exceed my pocketbook. I just can't see spending 15 dollars on a skein when a project may call for 12 skeins. That's too much, but definitely okay when I'm making a smaller luxurious gift. If I buy online I usually visit Yarn Market or Knitpicks. Both offer a wide variety of yarns at different price points.

So that's that. I hope you find a little inspiration and keep in mind that many of the patterns and projects found on these sites are the result of many hours of work so please link back to the original site when posting or sharing:)

project::crochet

2011-03-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

When it comes to crafting my interests tend to branch off in many different directions. Wasn't it Van Gogh that said, "the way to know life is to love many things?" Well, if one were to subscribe to that notion one could say that I am on my way to knowing life quite well.

One of my dearest loves is crochet. It is both something old and rather new to me. My grandmother crocheted as well as my mother. Although I only vaguely remember being taught to chain, I do remember the rhythmic in and out of the hook and how that simple motion turned nothing into something. I didn't return to the hook until many years later, when a friend became my crochet instructor. From there my abilities blossomed. I read tons of books and watched countless videos...this one being my favorite by far. In no time I was collecting almost as much yarn as paper. In the last year or two I have greatly reduced my collection of both. In order to keep things manageable and myself inspired I only buy yarn for specific projects and only have a few skeins for spontaneous things.

some of my most recent projects have been:

this necklace. I first saw them online somewhere and thought to myself...I could make that. Then I saw them for sale at Assemble and wow! They were even prettier in person. I visited the designer's blog and discovered she was sharing the pattern for free. I love generous artists and craftspeople...I know they can't all be, but I appreciate it when they are. Keep in mind...her pattern is for personal use only!

sorry for the bad picture, I despise the lighting in my bathroom

I also completed the cowl about a month ago. My neck is always freezing especially when I go on walks...I wanted something that would stay in place. This is my own pattern and probably the simplest thing you could ever make. Just a long rectangle and then you whip stitch the edges together. I found this pattern here and it's a simple one.

Another thing I love to whip up especially while I'm watching tv are coasters. They work up really fast and they make really nice gifts. These are so simple and are made just by going in circles.

If you are interested in learning to crochet you can always visit a local yarn shop or do what I did...get a few books and let the many generous crochet experts on You Tube teach you for free.

tomorrow I will share my favorite crochet websites and blogs.

Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.

-vincent van gogh

the weekender

2011-03-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

image taken by K at gas works 3.7.2011

the recent weekend has concluded with a few changes to the ye olde blog. I was getting rather tired of things and decided to mess around a bit. It all amounts to a few color shifts, really.

I suppose the real changes will become more obvious with time. You see, I have been decidedly undecided when it comes to this precious little piece of weblandia. I love blogging, I do, but sometimes feel that my super ordinary life does not merit such a space. Lately I have felt my commitment waning. It always seems as though either too many things are happening or not nearly enough things.

So I decided to attempt a correction.

#1. Determine if I really want to continue to blog. If not, this entire post is moot.

#2. Create a sense of order.

The answer to #1 is Yes. A resounding yes. I like spilling my thoughts into the great big void and I'm not yet prepared to give it up.

#2 required more thought. I took a look at some of my very favorite blogs to determine what it was that I liked so well. I tend to prefer those that blog daily even if it's short and simple. I love to look at images from everyday life. I enjoy the different perspectives, especially since I spend a great deal of my waking hours at home. I like blogs that are eclectic...a bit of this and that. It needn't be overly personal, but I appreciate honesty. Of course I like blogs that are well written. Ultimately, I like bloggers who share....ideas, links, creativity, pictures, projects and their lives.

This exercise helped me to see where my own blog came up short.

A lengthy stroll through my archives reminded me that I was once rather good at some of those things but not so good at others and, as of late, rather terrible at all. My last few entries have been somewhat redundant. Truth be told, I bore myself.

So...I've decided to create order from chaos and come up with a daily plan. Nothing novel or spectacular, just an aid so that I can more easily harness my blogging mojo and create a richer portrait of my life... if only for me.

Monday will be a recap of my weekend
Tuesday is for sharing projects
Wednesday is for weblove
Thursday will be my day in pictures
Friday will be for food/my quest to get healthy
Saturday will be shop news...if there is any
and even God rested on Sunday:)

That's a start, no? I figure, if I don't commit to this...then I needn't bother at all. I started blogging to journal my life and I love looking through my archives...the moves, apartment hunting, my beloved Akira, my craft spaces, my loves, my family...it's all here and I know that if I hadn't had a blog I wouldn't have documented any of it.

Ok...now, since it is Monday I will recap the weekend as promised:

Ipad 2: no...it was rainy, I didn't feel like waiting in line so I ordered it and will most likely receive it once I've forgotten about it.

New tennis shoes: have not arrived yet:(

Artist meeting: yes. Lisa Congdon at Assemble. She wears very cool glasses.

Out to dinner: yes, with the Crelps. We went to Shelter Lounge and it was divine.

Cocktails: yes, with Andrea where I proceeded to get tipsy all thanks to a James Mcavoy look alike

Cinema: Morning Glory (meh), Possession (i loved it), and Sister Wives (i can't help myself)

Reading: None

Weather: Gray

Christmas Tree: don't ask

Grade: B... mostly cuz of the tree

in the studio

2011-03-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

today:

spring cleaning day 1

working on some wedding invitations

getting things ready for a grand etsy reopening

minibook making

getting my shopping list together from ediets

prepping to begin the couch to 5k program

looking to buy new sneakers that won't hurt my flat feet

making birthday cards

wish board: spring

2011-02-27T01:57:00.000-08:00

some of the things I have pinned to my mental bulletin board for spring:

1:pearlesque bracelet with floral tie
2:pintucked cream blouse
3:leather wedge sandal
4:satchel
5:mixed metal ring
6:clinique tenderheart
7:bright yellow teardrop necklace
8: bold floral silk scarf
9:skinny ankle skimming levis
10: lightweight hooded poncho
11: nude shoe with gold toe

down to earth

2011-02-25T18:16:00.000-08:00

image taken in Ft Lauderdale Jan.2011

Now that things have settled a bit I am trying to rediscover the joys of a simple routine. I have been going nonstop since late early this year and frankly, I'm tired of traveling. These days I'm focused on work, getting a few things out to people that have been patiently waiting and reconnecting with clients. It's difficult to create a sense of calm and order in the workplace when there is no "place." Being home is peaceful to me. Cleaning, organizing and maintaining lists give me a deep feeling of accomplishment.

Truth be told I have felt very flighty the last couple of months. I'm certain the traveling and family obligations have had something to do with that. Now that I'm home, I feel a need to recreate my space.

another confession:

my Christmas tree is still up. so are all the Christmas decorations.

It seems as though the moment I was unpacking from one trip I was repacking for another. That is not typical of my rather simple lifestyle. I'm not rolling in dough so I certainly can't afford endless travel. What this has to do with the Christmas tree? Who Knows? What I do know....it's still up. I have to go downstairs to the storage and drag all the containers back up and UGH. There are some things that just need to be placed at the bottom of my list and that is one of them.

In the meantime. I am answering emails. sending cards to friends who have been neglected, working on some wedding projects (yup, it's wedding season) and preparing the etsy shop for spring.

from the road:

2011-02-16T13:15:00.000-08:00

Since I have been here, in what has become not just my hometown but one of my favorite cities I have kept myself quite busy. It is a strange thing to revisit the place you know so well only to discover that it is as familiar as it is distant. Growing in so many different directions that it can never be known completely. I know quite a few people who have no interest in the City of Angels and as a resident, I had little interest in it myself. This stay...a bit different from the rest, has afforded me the opportunity to know my city in a new way. Of course, this is only my LA...everyone has their own version.

highlights:

shopping.

Urbanic is a delightful shop on Abbot Kinney in Venice. If you love papers, cards and all manner of small lovely gifts this neighborhood is a wonderful place to start.

eating.

Mexican food. Well, any kind of food. I have visited all my favorite haunts as well as a few new to me spots...and I couldn't leave without a bit of pinkberry. Oh how I missed thee.

overstimulation.

that is the only way to describe LA Live down by the Staples Center. I would call it a Timesquare Citywalk mashup. It was nice to visit, but probably more suited to tourists and teenagers.

work.

yes, the location of said work might be beautiful and accompanied by a nice Beaujolais...but it is still work and must be done no matter where I am.

friends.

only spent time with this guy so far. I've been spending a lot of time with family this trip. Well, I guess that's every trip.

My mum.

My mom always seems to monopolize my visits. lunch downtown, dinners...you name it. I can't complain though...she's the number one reason I return so often.

today.

Today is a work day so I will be spending the afternoon holed up in the hotel room clicking away on the computer. I am happy that K doesn't mind me tagging along on his business trips. Now that we don't have the pup, extended trips like these have become far more common and home seems like a far away thing.

Dream.

Oh LA, my time with you is slowly coming to a close...that is until next time. Thanks for giving me such a lovely spot to daydream.

wanderlust

2011-02-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

image here

it seems these days I am unable to just stay put. If you were looking, you'd find me working poolside at the Fairmont hotel. K is here on business and since our anniversary is Monday I figured I would tag along. I'll be heading home at some point but for now I sure am enjoying the sunshine.

an old class with a new twist

2011-02-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

so, if you're an old friend of mine you might remember (fondly I hope) all those "simple cards" classes I taught at the PS in Beverly HIlls. Remember...early Sunday mornings together...those little kits I use to make? Reveling in paper to our hearts content? Well, its been a long time. Over two years and I decided to do it again...with a bit of a twist.

Assemble has invited me to teach a card workshop with a bit of a vintage slant. Right up my alley, no? It will still be simple...but the vintage part means we're going to incorporate stamps, create mini collages and use lovely vintage inspired papers. I will also teach use super easy distressing techniques so your brand new cards looks like they've been tied with a ribbon and left in a keepsake box for many many years.

If you are local, the workshop will be Saturday, February 26 from 1-3pm. You can find more information here

If you're not local...I can't promise it will be worth the price of airfare, but I'd sure love to see you;)

and i'm off...almost

2011-01-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

so finally, after getting through a sad and sick January, I am ready to wrap this month up with a long awaited trip to Florida. Later on this evening I will make my way across the country and early Thursday morning find myself in a sunny state. I will be all the way in the southern tip and hopefully far enough away from those tornadoes I read about in Orlando. Although I love Seattle it will be nice to be somewhere else with people I love and new things to see.

When I return, January will be over I will be ready to tackle February...one of my very favorite months.

the art of nothing

2011-01-22T16:34:00.000-08:00

sunrise from the livingroom window

like I mentioned in the previous post, January has been slow going for me. For the last few weeks I have been increasingly frustrated. Upset that I haven't had the energy to put away my Christmas decorations, to finish up my December Daily project...I still have a pile of mail waiting to be sorted. I despise clutter so it's been hard to concentrate on getting well with the laundry piling up and this dang Christmas tree staring me in the face.

Sometimes we need reminders.

My mom...who has been sick as well, told me that God knows when we need to rest and if we don't take the hint it is forced upon us. I suppose that is one way of looking at it.
I do believe my body is forcing me to rest. Things have been crazy since early October with guests and travel and more guests and work. I know that I have had downtime, but I always use my downtime to do things other than just sitting there and relaxing. I have a hard time sitting still. Being sick gives you little choice so...after bitching and moaning and acting like a royal pain...i decided to buck up and get it together.

I laid down on the couch with my very favorite blanket and did nothing. I stared off into space. I daydreamed about my walls and what I want to put up once the tree comes down. I decided not to worry about the mail or the decorations or any of that stuff. It would all get done eventually. Although I know that there is a beauty in doing nothing I have always railed against that. It felt wasteful. I have to force myself to sit still. To breathe. To enjoy the fleeting days. To revel in my own silence and company. To allow the quiet of nothing to restore me so that when the busyness of life returns...i will be ready.

slow down January

2011-01-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

this began as a rather detailed post. It was my intention to chronicle the last few weeks which were a bit challenging to say the least.

My family suffered a terrible loss on Christmas Day and I flew home in early January to be with them. I returned home last Monday with the flu and have been fighting it ever since. I'm just beginning to feel like myself again so if I owe you an email, or a phone call thanks for being patient.

In other news...I hope to open the shop again soon but I don't have a clear date just yet. In a week and a half I'm off to Miami for a little sunshine and visit with K's family.

This month is just flying by

one little word 2011

2010-12-31T14:11:00.001-08:00

the rough and tumble world

2010-12-14T19:14:00.000-08:00

I have determined that the best way to describe my etsy experience this season has been:

rough and tumble.

Even though my shop has been in existence since 2007...it was by and large neglected that first year. I didn't really start creating inventory until I moved to Atlanta in December 2008. That said...i didn't actually start selling things until mid 2009. These buttons were pretty much my first foray into the world of owning and operating a miniature paper craft shoppe.

Now perhaps you would think that since I am a business owner already I would have a decent sense of what it would take to be a sole proprietor. All I can say is...it's so very very different. At least it was for me, and I think a lot of that had to do with my approach.

As a graphic designer, I approach my work a bit differently. I have a long standing approach that centers on simplicity and clarity. I have found success in the collaborative environment I have created.

As an Etsy shop owner, I approached the whole thing a bit more casually. It began as an extension of my scrapbooking hobby. I also saw it as an opportunity to design and sell the types of things I rarely got the chance to design in my everyday work. It was also a way for me to share the types of vintage paper products I liked to use. I had no lofty goals or expectations. Each and every sale was a happy surprise...it still is.

This was the first year I knew I wanted to remain open and create a line of holiday products. I also knew I would only be traveling briefly during Thanksgiving and I would have plenty of stock on hand. WELL...things don't always go according to plan.

I did have stock...but not NEARLY enough to meet the demand. I wasn't prepared for Ali's fabulous tweet about my holiday milk caps. I underestimated how popular many things would be. I couldn't take advantage of some really great opportunities to get my stuff in shops and kits because I simply didn't have the time or resources. The closer we got to mid December the longer it took to get things packaged and sent. AND WHO KNEW it would snow two days before I left on my trip and I wouldn't be able to get to the post office. UGH. I ran out of supplies, my printer acted up, and some days I didn't get to sleep until very very late.

All of my thoughts surrounding this project were pretty small...and that resulted in quite a few stumbles along the way. Stumbles that led to some amazing learning experience and a wildly successful holiday season for my tiny paper shop.

I can't even begin to articulate what I learned...but the number one thing:

Plan for success.

I expected modest sales, modest interest and a very easy go of it. What I got exceeded my expectations tenfold and I would have been prepared had I treated it less like a hobby or craft project and more like the viable creative small business that it is. Lesson learned.

I am still navigating my way through the rough and tumble world of owning a small paper craft shoppe, but I am continually amazed by the never-ending support of friends and family. The kind words of so so many people and the occasional tweet by someone a LOT more popular than I:) I can't wait to apply everything I learned, I am bursting with ideas for 2011!

Until then, if you have a small shop or are thinking of starting one you can read some tips from a real pro right here.

sick sick sick

2010-12-11T14:36:00.001-08:00

Well, I have been sick for the last week...actually it began creeping up on me well before that. I tried to ward it off but it had been too long since my last really big cold and it was bound and determined to wreak havoc.

and wreak havoc it did.

my to do list remains woefully unchecked

my December Daily includes one entry titled "sick"

I am still working on packaging product to send out to very patient customers. It's slow going folks, but it'll get there. I PROMISE:)

using hand sanitizer by the bucket

and feeling a bit woe is me that I'm not out and about enjoying the rainy Seattle weather and missing all the hustle and bustle.

What I do know is this:

I have a great husband who may or may not be coming down with my cold.

i'm on the mend, although you'd never know that if you caught a glimpse of me right this moment.

being sick forced me to sit still and just enjoy the twinkle lights on my tree. It forced me to lay there and watch Miracle on 34th Street...the '47 version, and Home Alone and Little Women, and all my most favorite holiday films. I would have never given myself permission to do that with a load of work to get done.

I believe that the universe finds a way to slow you down...not when you want to but when you need to.

Anyway, I hope to pop back in next week with pictures of my holiday decor, my December daily and a completed pile of Christmas cards ready to be delivered.

blue bayou

2010-11-28T16:04:00.000-08:00

view of the central Louisiana bayou from the plane

So I just made it home and I decided to pop back in for a quick 1,2 3.

1. My short Thanksgiving holiday was SPLENDID. I miss my cousins, aunts and uncles and maybe, just maybe shed a couple secret tears upon my departure.

2. My to do list is still long, but I'm excited to tackle it...starting tomorrow of course.

3. It's freezing in my house. Time to get a fire going and break out the hot chocolate.

On the horizon...
some shop update info
getting my december daily going
and decorating my humble abode

it's good to be home.

an attitude of gratitude

2010-11-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

So I am literally trapped atop Queen Anne Hill. It is a snow day for most in sunny snowy Seattle and many other parts of Washington. I have seen two Audis slide back down the hill after almost making it to the top...it was not pretty. I've also seen many others outside with skis, sleds and snowboards. I leave tomorrow for Louisiana and I'm worried about some stuff. But, in an effort to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, I will not let a few things get me down.

For example...

I can't get to the post office. I haven't been able to get down there for two days and I've got packages to send to patient customers.

I don't know how I'm going to get to the airport tomorrow to catch an 8am flight.

Ok now for the attitude adjustment.

I couldn't get to the post office, but I did make it to Trader Joe's and it was absolutely sparkly outside.

I am so thankful for all the people that purchased items from my shop. SUPER thankful. To one of my most distant customers, Ekaterina in Russia, I hope your goodies make it in time for you to begin your holiday projects.

I can't wait to see my family. One way or the other I'm going to make it there, I won't worry about the how.

I hope everyone has an incredibly happy and safe holiday...and for those of my friends abroad who don't celebrate this holiday...I hope you enjoy a happy end to this lovely month.

December daily coming up next week. I can't wait!!!

what a difference a day makes

2010-11-22T09:42:00.000-08:00

remember this photo from my last blog post?

well I just took this one

to be honest, I'm not really use to inclement weather. My one foray would be a short lived snow shower in Atlanta that I spent most of my time photographing from the kitchen window. We live at the the top of a hill, the highest point in the city and two years ago, the neighborhood got a bit trapped at the top due to the snow. Last year was pretty mild, but it looks like this year will be a different story. Hopefully I'll have no problem with my travel plans on Wednesday.

Happy Monday

are we there yet?

2010-11-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

view from my living room window today

so I just looked up from the computer and noticed that my one holiday decoration...that little pumpkin perched atop my book of haikus, was slightly tilted. Upon closer inspection I realized it was barely hanging on and when I tried to lift it the stem came right off. Gross.

After properly disposing of it I realized, that was it. I have no more decorations to put up. I will be leaving for a few day to spend Thanksgiving in the south and there will be nothing very holidayish to greet me upon my return. When we left Atlanta last year, Keith and I, in an effort to simplify gave all of our holiday decoration (save for a few precious ones) to the movers. We spent last Christmas in L.A. so we didn't bother putting anything up. We are staying home this year and we have to start from scratch.

My game plan is to buy a prelit tree. Yeah, I'm into falsies. After years of buying a fresh tree, I'm over the mess and the cost. Although if I was going to go fresh Washington would certainly be the place to do it...I mean I've seen amazing trees literally growing on the side of the freeway.
I know the fakes are costly, but then so are the real ones and it will last me a while. Next I will stock up on some boxed ornaments...the simple shiny orbs. and perhaps devote one small box to lovely unique ornaments that I just can't live without. That's pretty much it. I figure a festive table cloth, some fresh pinecones, a few sprigs of noble fir and hints of red and shiny will be all I need to get into the spirit of the holidays.

I want to have my tree up by December 1st. That means that I MUST clean up before we leave. I hate beginning new projects in a messy house. I need for it to be sparkly. I have created quite the to-do list for myself. I will also be restocking the shop on Dec 1st. Quantities will be limited so I can get things out quickly and have plenty of time to devote to my own holiday pursuits. The shop will closed for a couple of weeks while I devote time to my family and myself. It will reopen with new product in early January 2011.

Speaking of holiday pursuits, my one main pursuit is my December Daily of course. I have a definite plan for that as well seeing as I tend to lose focus after one week. I wish I could be a bit more fly by the seat of my pants, but that approach never works for me. It will have a loose structure that I hope to post about in the next few days. I'm still trying to decide if I want to devote a daily post to it. I think maybe a weekly post and daily picture...haven't decided yet.

whirlwind

2010-11-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

My oh my...the last few weeks have been a bit wild around here. I wish I had a fabulous excuse for why the laundry hasn't been done or why I have a mountain of catalogs and magazines that I need to sort through...but I don't. A great big part of it is just life. This is normally a busy time for me, but aside from that, my little shop has just exploded thanks to a certain paper craft celeb. I doubt she reads my blog but if she does. Thanks ALI!!!!

I own a small graphic design studio and an even smaller Etsy shop. I have fielded a few questions this week on how to go about opening a shop, how to get customers and so on...I have responded to all inquiries directly, but I would like to mention for the record that I'm no expert. Up until recently things have always been a bit slow and steady on the Etsy front. I'm still figuring out how to manage inventory, get things out on time and keep my workspace form looking like disaster.

A long time ago...before the studio, I worked at a really big bank and it was my job to deal with people. To improve the quality of their experience. A big part of the problem was that I couldn't see them, In most cases, I couldn't even talk to them. I worked in the online department when online was still pretty new to banking. I learned one vital piece of information. YOU MUST LISTEN. This little lesson has followed me through the start of my own business and the building of another. No matter the size or scope you must listen. It doesn't matter if they don't spend a dime, if the question is silly, or if you are incredibly busy, you must take a moment to listen. Listen to your client and to yourself.

That said, I am now off to work...the shop update yesterday went swimmingly and I have already sold out of quite a bit. Ugh....still working on mastering the whole inventory thing. I will do a bit of restocking on Friday once I take care of my current orders.

Till then, I'll try to blog a bit more and get my travel book ready for New Orleans...eek! it's two weeks away!!!!

mr. w

2010-11-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

I could easily write about zombies, milk caps, the Housewives of Beverly Hills, but I'm gonna shake it up a bit and do something I don't normally do. I'm going to write about this guy.

The last several days have been crazy around here. Me scrambling to fill orders, (more on that later) being distracted, annoyed, and not very good company. He, in turn, has been amazing.

But that is nothing new. We've been together ten years and he has always been on my side.

He convinced me to leave a lucrative banking job that I HATED.
He encouraged me to follow my passion and become graphic designer.
He supported me while I did that.
He was so proud when I landed a job at a little boutique stationery store (that is now huge, no thanks to me). Even though it was retail and everyone said I was way overqualified.
Thanks to his encouragement I met some incredible people and realized that the term"overqualified" is relative and retail is not for the faint of heart. He taught me that kindness elevates you. Not just being kind to those we like or respect or we find worthy of our attention, but to EVERYONE. He despises entitlement and views it as the laziness of privilege. He's a man of few words, but his words pack a punch. He is incredibly confident, but has the goods to back it up. He is modest to a fault and doesn't care about any other opinion but mine. He doesn't subscribe to trends unless it suits him. He reads what he wants and listens to the sort of music that makes him happy. He's 40, but looks 30 except for his white whiskers. He has no problem saying I don't know. His knowledge is broad and varied. He loves science. He is an inventor at heart but a writer by trade.

He is a slim 5'7" bald guy....but don't dismiss him because he will make you laugh and I promise you will feel better for knowing him...

like i do

modern vintage

2010-10-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

I adore milk caps. Does that sound like an odd statement? Probably, since most people under a certain age don't even know what they are. I used to spend hours sorting my grandfather's vast collection. I was entranced by the vintage graphics and bright colors. To be clear, they were before my time as well:)

A few months ago I came across this very cool idea for vintage milk caps on design sponge and started sketching a few ideas of my own. I wanted to recreate the cap as an embellishment...something that would capture that vintage graphic look, but with a modern touch. I wanted to use them on my own mixed media projects and scrapbook pages.

Here's what I finally came up with...just in times for the holidays:

pick some up here.

a little December in October

2010-10-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Every year it is my intention to create my own December Daily. If you are unfamiliar with what that is, simply put, it is a journal designed to visually and verbally chronicle the month of December. It is also the brain child of scrapbooker Ali Edwards.

I get as far as pulling papers and then my enthusiasm fades. I find myself going through the month in a haze of work, travel and exhaustion.

I decided that this year would be different, for one, I wouldn't be traveling, and that would make the whole process easier. I also decided that I wouldn't worry about 25 days or 31 days, I would focus on simplicity. It would be a part of my holiday experience and not just another task.

My plan...

A pattern page, a journal page and back to back photos in between. That would be page/day 1.

I would focus on a combination of things; individual days, traditions, favorite things etc. it would be a Daily recording but not necessarily recording the day...know what I mean? For example...I want my book to include the things that make this month magical for ME. I didn't want to forget something so I pulled out the list I used for a 12 days of Christmas workshop I taught a few years ago and thought that it would serve as an excellent guide. If you are interested in this idea sheet you can download it here.

Here's the book:

The first two pictures are of the cover. I made it using heavy weight chipboard and polka dot patterned paper. The next two pages are just inner pages, I stamped all the numbers all the way through using the Noah stampset I got from Studio Calico. That tiny little "No." stamp is really old and I have no idea where it came from. I was going to use number tabs or round spots since I have so many of them:) but I decided to make it really simple and use a basic stamp set that I could reuse for titles and such. I also have a few other stamp sets I plan to use. I kept the embellishments to a minimum because I didn't want to build up the pages before I even take pictures. I've done that with other projects in the past and it didn't work for me. I like it being a bit bare...that way I can really create based on my images and the story I'm telling that day.

So that's it...you can see a few more pictures of the inner pages here.

Now that's it's done I can't wait to fill it up!

no losers only winners

2010-10-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

coming to you a little late.

the winner of the minibook giveaway is...

thanks malou for participating! send me an email with your address...i think i have the right one but just in case.

more holiday minis in the shop

to the other ladies who participated in the giveaway....send me your info at france@bananafishstudio.com and i'll send you a little something special too:)

any given wednesday...

2010-10-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

...you can find me at home looking a little something like this. Truth is most days I don't try very hard. I work from home so, besides, the UPS guy, nobody sees me...and he usually leaves my packages downstairs so...

I think that if you were to pop in uninvited...(you would never, right?:) You might find me looking a little crazy. Yoga pants, t shirt, hair in a top knot. It's not exactly a pretty picture.

So I've decided to change it.

I think, whether I have errands that day or not, getting up and getting dressed is essential to my well being. I mean, obviously I don't ever bother with shoes or make-up if I'm not leaving the house, but clearly, this particular outfit required minimal effort. MINIMAL.

Moving on to fashion.

I'm a plus size woman. A few of the stores I love have chosen not to go in that direction. That means, as a girl who adores fashion, I have become a bit of a detective. I'm not one of those people that laments never being able to find/fit anything. If I find it and it doesn't fit I move on. The road to slim and healthy is not a jaunt for me, rather it's a journey of biblical proportion. Therefore, until the time comes that I can fit into something several sizes smaller...I'm going to wear cute things in my size. I won't cry in dressing rooms (never done that, but overheard it several times) or rail against stores that don't design clothes to fit me.

Whatevs...you get one life. Might as well find a way to love yourself.

I will let you know the winner of the holiday minibook a bit later this afternoon. You have until 2pm pst to get in on the giveaway by commenting on the previous post.

just a hint...

2010-10-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

I will be updating the shop with these holiday themed items tomorrow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I will also be giving away a 4x6 minibook, based on the 12 days of Christmas.
just leave me a comment between now and Wednesday and you get the book.

see more pictures of the mini here

an itty bitty update

2010-10-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

yup, it's true. I've decided to do a holiday update although I've avoided it the last two years. It seemed like a good idea since I will be in town for the most part. This will be a smaller update so I can keep things manageable. I will be posting some photos this weekend. It will include some supercute baseball journal cards. (they have nothing to do with baseball, that description just refers to the standard card size), I will also be including some flash cards, number spots and a little something extra.

this and that

2010-10-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

my holiday decorating

my favorite boots

walking in my neighborhood

boat tour of the sound

first fire of the season

October started off with a bang and has not let up. This is my favorite month, not just because I get to celebrate another year of living, it heralds the beginning of autumn and Halloween and sweater wearing and I just adore it.

It has been breathtaking here in Seattle. Keith and I have been here almost one year and I still can't get over what a beautiful city this is. Especially now, with the crisp breeze coming off the sound and the leaves slowly changing. I love walking in the evening as the air fills with the smell of dinners being made and fires being lit. I know I must sound a bit Thoreau-ish, but this time of year always feels magical to me, and I suspect to many of you based on all the yummy fall inspired blog posts I have read lately.

This has also been a month of visitors. Keith's bestie from college and a GIANT birthday surprise visit from my mom. I love visitors because it gives me the chance to explore and see this city as a tourist...which I still sort of am. This week has been sort of quiet compared to the last two which is good because I needed to work. Truth be told, I've been a bit of a shut in this week, spending my days being diligent and my nights crocheting and catching up on tv shows. I'm currently reading this and it is amazing. I find myself reading slowly just to draw it out. I fancy myself quite the historian in another life. Spending my days among dusty tomes and characters long gone. Perhaps that is what I will do in my retirement...if I get that far:)

The pictures above are from last week. As you can see that lone pumpkin is the extent of my holiday decorating so far.

my birthday eve

2010-10-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

It is officially the eve of my birthday. did the title of this post clue you in to that? As odd as it may seem, I prefer to spend my birthday alone. No party, No presents, Just time. Time to reflect on the last 36 years of my life, time to entertain crazy notions and daydream about the next 36.

I'm not the sort that fears growing older. I don't concern myself with things like gray hairs... (i find and pluck for now...eventually I will dye and then one day i will just give up and embrace) Nor do I worry about what I should have accomplished by now. Nobel Prize? Not yet. I especially don't worry about what I "used to be." That is something I've been hearing a lot...from friends, from strangers. All women pining for their former selves. I'll admit my former self was pretty fabulous...fabulous in that twenty something way. Exuding the confidence of the young based on little but the security of parental support and lack of personal failure.

I only have a few more years left of my thirties and I'm perfectly fine with that. Over the last two decades I have experienced set backs and triumphs. Grand success and heartbreaking failure. Yet, despite it all...I am still here. A bit slower, a bit grayer, but infinitely wiser. My joy radiates from my toes. My happiness is no longer a moment but a part of who I am always.

So my gift to myself this year? Kindness. I will treat myself well. This means a lot of different things, but for today and especially tomorrow it means solitude, being surrounded by books, a little of this and cake. I will most certainly eat cake.

a little gift with purchase

2010-09-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

i always like getting a little extra in my packages. I will be enclosing these little *button pins when you spend $5 dollars or more in the shop. just my way of saying thanks.

for a limited time only and while supplies last

new minibooks

2010-09-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

I made the decision several months ago to make some changes to my "project minibooks." The previous design was heavy on patterned paper and stickers. Lots of labels and other words and images created to coordinate with the books. I liked them, but wanted something that was just as much journal as it was miniature scrapbook.

I wanted to make a book that I would buy. A book that had a really good foundation upon which I could build. An art journal I would love and more importantly....complete. That meant a strong cover that I could possibly customize. Colorful patterned papers mixed with some geometric neutrals. A nice selection of simple lined papers for plenty of writing and the fun bits that make a mini unique. Of course I would continue using binder rings for easy rearranging and while I wanted to keep some stickers, I wanted to avoid sticker overkill so I decided to include just a few basic labels in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The result:

I am very happy with the new minis. Everything from the cover to the stickers are made using the best supplies. The better quality is reflected in the new price, but don't worry, I kept them compact and affordable.

esty love ♥

2010-09-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

just bought these super cute stamps here. can't wait to get them.

sometimes...

2010-09-17T18:13:00.000-07:00

I miss LA.

I adore Seattle, the rain, the water, my neighborhood. Everything. But LA is my home.

I miss meeting friends at Mr Marcel in the Farmer's Market. I miss the chicken soup at Canter's, and the celebrity sighting at the Coffee Bean in Brentwood. I miss Sunset Junction and Runyon. I miss my friends, late night dinners. Lunching downtown with my mum. I miss Zuma, Paradise Cove, The Beverly Center. I miss San Vicente, La Cienega, Santa Monica and all those other Spanish street names. I miss our old place on Malcolm. I miss visiting my brother in WeHo. I miss being so close to Santa Barbara and Arrowhead. I miss Studio City. That Starbucks on Ventura where I would meet my clients. I miss going to Houston's then the movies at the Century City mall. I miss Marina Del Rey and and all those little shops on Abbot Kinney. Speaking of Abbot Kinney, if I was home I would have gone to this.

Oh my dear, beautiful, crazy, sunny LA. I know a lot of people don't like you...but it's because they don't really know you. Thank you for giving me so very much to miss.

new flair

2010-09-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

Remember my old flair? Well I'm getting some new flair to launch the mid-September reopening of my Etsy shop. Here's a sneak peak:

buttons being made by Assemble.

a kinda sorta redesign

2010-09-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting the blog in favor of doing other stuff. That's the truth. Not that other stuff translates into super exciting, fabulous activities. Just life. A bit of work. Family visit. Touristy type things, and a pint size redecorating project.

Remember when I told you about my super big living room and I showed you this picture:

Well, that was almost a year ago and I didn't have the foggiest notion how I would proceed. I just knew that I no longer had a craft space. No extra bedroom to transform into the studio of my dreams like Atlanta or Westwood. I was going to have to get clever and yet my vision or lack thereof never panned out and I ended up doing the whole "my dining room will be my studio" thing. That was a horrible idea because I hate sitting down to craft and the table...the first thing you come across when entering our place, was always a spectacular mess.

My creativity suffered. I focused on non paper activities and even my little etsy shop got swallowed up in my rut.

Keith's family visit gave me the excuse I needed to finally address some design dilemmas that had been plaguing me for months. Here's what I knew:

•I wasn't going to paint. (this is a rental and I couldn't be bothered, plus I like the creamy neutral beige)

•No new furniture. I didn't want this to be an expensive remake. I wanted to use what I had.

•I had to begin my doing a major PURGE. This was no halfway endeavor.

•I wanted a dedicated craft space

so here's what I did:

I hightailed it to Ikea and picked up these trestle legs and this table top...all in white. I also picked up the lack coffee table for 19.95. Total cost: a smidge over $100.

Ready for the big reveal?

this is a picture taken from roughly the same spot as the top photo:

here's a shot of behind the couch/new craft area:

close up of the desk and the lack coffee table that fit perfectly underneath:

all I can say is... I love it. I have already used it and it is working marvelously. I had to move around some of my supplies for convenience but I am so very happy with the outcome. The light, the space, the height of the desk is perfect. And the MAJOR craft purge has made it so much easier to create. No more endless decisions. It has even changed the way I purchase supplies.

To see more photos of the room go here

four goals

2010-08-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

Sweet Elsie came up with a wonderful idea. 4 simple goals. Goals that make life richer, healthier and more satisfying. Using Elsie and some other favorite bloggers as inspiration I decided to follow suit and come up with a few things that mean something to me...

eat a serving of fruits or veggies withe every meal.
(i hope this helps lay to rest my spicy doritos habit)

engage in some sort of outdoor activity a few times a week...even if it's just a walk to top pot.
(i have major hermit tendencies)

devote time to prettying up our home.
(this means actually putting things up on the walls)

complete a summer, fall and winter mini filled with pictures and stories

ok. let's see how this goes:)

like you care

2010-07-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

so i sent a little notification out to friends, clients and a few other acquaintances humbly requesting that all further technologically based correspondence take place via email. my daily comings and goings would still be overly exposed on both twitter and the BF blog.

I don't have very many friends, clients or acquaintances so this was generally accepted sans objection. for the most part. i received one lone email from a very good friend stating this...
"so what, do you think you're too good for facebook" to which I responded, in short...

no. quite the opposite.

here's why:

i don't have any cute pet/baby photos to post

i don't really like those anyway

i'm not particularly witty

the minutia of daily living is not on my preferred reading list

i cant bear to update with observations like "man, it's hot"

i've already done that and wanna punch myself in the face for it

i'm secretive in a very unhipstery kind of way

the inside jokes/cryptic updates are just too inside and cryptic for me

i never benefit from links because i rarely visit them.

my facebook friends lead way more interesting lives than i do or at least they're better writers

it doesn't make me feel connected to anything

in fact, it makes me feel disconnected

my mundane isn't clever mundane. it's just mundane

so you see facebook, when i say it's not you it's me, i really mean that. I'm not good enough for you, i'm not funny enough for you and by that i mean i'm way too good for you and well still not funny enough but you get it right. you still have plenty of people who friggin adore the heck out of you and will keep updating every last detail of their lives. i hope you guys are very happy together. sorry we couldn't quite make it work, but you really deserve better than lazy uninspired status updates.

by the by if you in blog land actually fancy lazy uninspired updates...i'm still on twitter.

almost...

2010-07-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

it is almost time for me to skip town on a little summer adventure with my sister. i will be flying into Arizona on Wed, driving up to Vegas a week later, hanging with lady luck for a few days then off to LA... then home. Whew! 10 days. With temperature in the 100's I will be a cocktail sipping, by the pool lounging, air condition loving, sparkly sandal wearing fool.

in the meantime i am:

listening: to the Closer while i clean
eating: macncheese
drinking: ice water
wearing: tee shirt+yoga pants...my uniform
feeling: excited
weather: cool and overcast
wanting: to be done cleaning
needing: a new suitcase
thinking: about everything i need to do before wed
enjoying: the cool weather
wondering: if i should wash & blowout

the little daily diary list came from tina

all is calm

2010-07-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

In Memoriam

our beloved girl
june 1997 to july 2, 2010

we said goodbye to her today and she said goodbye with a shortlived but lovely rainbow over the sound.

i wish i had my setup SET UP

2010-06-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

for those of you that have been reading my blog for a while you know that i have gone through some major studio transformations. that has less to do with with the fact that i have to combine my office space with my craft space and more do with the fact that i get bored easily and i move around a lot...well a lot recently.

this is what my spot looked like a couple years ago when i lived in westwood:

my apartment came with a loft area above my bedroom which worked out fine except i could never really play late at night because K was asleep, I'm not exactly a quiet crafter. Also...even though i had a spectacular view of santa monica bouelevard and plenty of light...sometimes there was too much light and that loft...despite central air and a fan, always felt hot + stuffy.

then came my studio in atlanta:

that was pure bliss. an entire room dedicated to work and play. i spent a considerable amount of time outfitting it with things i really loved. it worked...for a while anyway, until i began to feel like it was all too much. what happened to the girl who used the kitchen table as her craft desk and a few plastic tubs for all her stuff. I mean...that's how i worked it when K and I first moved in together. His place was a one bedroom cave but somehow everything fit. I mean as far as work...every conference call, video chat and billable hour takes place on or around my couch so i certainly couldn't blame that. The truth is my craft space was just a space and nothing terribly creative happened in there.

i decided that my move to seattle would be a fresh start. i filled several boxes with craft stuff and gave it to the girls at work. I gave away, sold or tossed out a ton of stuff. i knew that for the first time in almost 7 years i wouldn't have a dedicated craft area. what i would have is a 600 square foot living room. there certainly wasnt enough space in the bedroom or guestroom to do anything in either of those spaces so it would have to be the livingroom.

this is what my craft area/dining room looks like now:

I made the mistake of removing the lamp that hung above it because it was too low. now i don't have proper lighting so it sucks working if the sun isnt out. it is a complete mess right now, but to be fair, I am purging again. i'm discovering that i wasn't nearly as ruthless in atlanta as I thought i was. i know now that i just can't work well sitting at the dining table. in addition to the expedit behind the table, I occupy most of the living room coat closet. So, what to do?

i'm getting rid of a lot. i mean a LOTTTTT. my friend who owns a local art gallery/workshop studio is taking most of it and i'm giving away the rest. then I intend to buy one of these and put it to the right of the fire place in the nook that is quite larger than it looks. i will get the 47" white table top rather than the one shown because i want to put my printer on a shelf beside it. the couch works as a means of keeping the area somewhat separated and there is a shorter expedit behind the couch where i will move my more important craft supplies.

the desk can be raised to a height of 36 inches...that way i can stand (i prefer to craft standing up)and work right near the window. that will be my new smallish yet perfectly functional setup and maybe...just maybe i can start really making things again.

so who gets the box o stamps?

2010-06-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

congratulations tinamarie. email me with your contact info so i can get these out to you. (france@bananafishstudio.com) I will be giving away a ton of ribbon next weekend. check in on Friday for pictures. YAY...one box down...a few more to go:)

weekend giveaway::rubberstamps

2010-06-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

you want them, they're yours. i'll choose monday. if nobody wants them...they're off to goodwill:) happy weekend!

FYI: giveaway is for ALL the stamps. shipping is my treat so i'm only sending one big box. All stamps are either never used or very gently used...i'm a bit obsessive about clean stamps. If you don't want them once you get them you are free to do whatever you want, except give them back:) those big ones are about the size of an A2 card. There may be a few extra in the box...

edited to add: next weekend giveaway? RIBBON

Edited a second time to add: i noticed a few of you commented twice. to keep it fair and square, i will count that as one comment....of course you are free to comment as often as you like but it will count once:)

comments are now closed.

right now

2010-06-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

listening: neko case

eating: nada...maybe tacos in a lil bit

drinking: root beer

wearing: black t shirt, yoga pants

feeling: a bit headachey

needing: a little motivation

thinking: about organising

enjoying: my pup and the sunshine

wondering: when it will happen

meet my brand new mini marketing tool...

2010-06-21T19:36:00.001-07:00

otherwise known as flair. i'm popping one of these babies in each etsy package i ship off. cute, huh?
the lovely ladies at Assemble assembled them for me...do you want some? Just pay them a visit and get the deets on how you too can get your very own personalized piece of flair.

it's officially official

2010-06-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

atlanta...summer 2009

happy summer!

lots going on here: work, life, fun

none it vastly interesting to anyone but me:)

k and i found out a couple weeks ago that are beloved dog is dying. we are both trying to deal with something that hasn't happened yet. i constantly have a lump in my throat the size of a bowling ball. but she is a happy dog...still...even though she is tired and can no longer walk down the steps....my beloved akira musters enough strength to wag her tail every single day...and if she can do it, so must I. i am resigned to the fact that if my baby must depart she will do so amidst sunshine, ice cream and an enormous amount of petting.

so that's it. my poor little etsy has been relegated to the rear burner...i haven't seen friends in weeks cuz i won't leave my best girl, and my only view of the outside world is through my window...and this computer of course. i have some fun travel plans for next month, but i don't quite know how things are gonna shake out. i'm taking things day by day. so even if it's still a bit dreary here in seattle...my spirits are still ok...i know i can find summer if i really look for it.

i can dance if i wanna

2010-06-05T01:49:00.000-07:00

image here

purely for informational purposes and to get it out of the way...the title of this post has very little to do with where it's going or at least where i think it's going.

that said. HAPPY JUNE!

yup, it's june...not that anyone in the pacific northwest would know that since it's still rainy and kinda cold. Maybe that should be getting me down, but it's not. To be perfectly straight up, i'm down right chipper these days. maybe that's a combo of daily exercise, vitamins and eating right but i'm feeling good ya'll. real good.

Everyday, i'm reminded of why i should maybe feel not so good. All that oil washing up on the shores of Louisiana. The state of my people. My relatives. My ancestors. Not to mention countless other things big and small.

But I can't be unhappy. Mostly because i just don't want to be.

This doesn't mean that i'm never in a crappy mood. It just means it's temporary. Really temporary.

everyday there exists a reason to smile...some days you just have look a bit harder to find it, but it's there. so find it godammit.

my grandpa use to tell me that there are two things that should never ever get you down:

the weather and other people

why? cuz you can't control either one

tru dat

what's happenin hot stuff

2010-05-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

the Chattahoochee-summer09

in other words...how do you do almostsummer...pleasure to make your acquaintance...again. I can tell by the look on its face almostsummer is doubtful and doesn't buy my warm welcome for one second...i get it...up until now we haven't exactly been chummy.

So, allow me to fess... it is oh so true...i'm not a summer lover. Ever since mmmm...i dunno...infancy? Maybe...i'll consult my mother on that one for confirmation, but yes, I think I can trace my beef with summer back to those early days of being hot and sweaty. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley which is a veritable heatbox located in Southern California. I was literally raised among burning sidewalks. Yes, the ones you can fry an egg on, although i will admit to never actually trying. Ours is a dry heat. Not quite as suffocating as Arizona and only marginally better than summer in Atlanta. My youth was spent jockeying for position in front of the air conditioner.

So why this post? Why blather on about a few short months I don't really like anyway? Well...i've decided that this year, I WILL LOVE IT if it kills me. Perhaps that has to do with living in Seattle where the weather right now can be compared to winter in LA. Maybe it has to do with spending last summer in the hottest of hotlanta and emerging with a smallish tan and a healthy like of summer. Maybe after 30 something years i'm simply getting over it. I'm sure summer will be pleased as punch to know that I am ready for a truce...a love fest truth be told...so hello weekend...hello holiday, hello almostsummer...i hate to say it...but i kinda missed you.

in pictures part deux

2010-05-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

swiping this fun idea from ali...i too have composed a visual list of loves:

color: the most lovely nail polish

font: another winner by ale paul

pattern: very into nautical stripes right now

shape: i love technology but nothing feels so right as the shape of a book in my hands

letter: everyone should have a giant zinc w in their home...well maybe not a w

number: me and my guy

word: as always...my favorite word ever

the written word

2010-05-20T01:26:00.001-07:00

I have spent the greater part of my life enchanted by the written word. I have made it my life's work to study and practice it though my latter pursuit is feeble at best. I have always wondered how my passion for science got so tangled up in my devotion to literature and I think it has something to do with love. Is there anything better than a finely crafted love letter professing devout adoration? How is it that the sheer beauty of love can leap off the page and head straight for the heart like a dagger? I will say that despite my penchant for historical romance novels I'm not particularly sentimental...I like love to be explained. I have a need to dissect and piece together to explore and prove my theories. Perhaps I am just one of many in a long line of people seeking to understand the inexplicable. I like when love is warmly wrapped in beautiful words and equally beautiful action. Perhaps it is the scientist in me that seeks to understand the folly of love as well as the fullness of it.

My husband and I spend a great deal of time exchanging words...words on paper...in emails, over telephone, and even now, nearly ten years later...my husband the writer and his wife the reader are still very much in love with the written word...as well as each other.

another installment of things i don't like

2010-05-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

image here

i don't like being in the sun. which is strange because i like sunny days...but i will always be the one tra-la-la-ing about in a large hat, a yellow umbrella and spf 50

i don't like socks...yes i have some cute ones...i just don't wear them...cuz i don't like em

i don't like when my nail polish bottle shatters in my suitcase and gets the loveliest blue polish all over my favorite 12 dollar blouse

i don't like when my dog pukes on the carpet rather than the hardwood...man couldn't she just take a few more steps?

i don't like anything that tastes like coffee except coffee

i don't like it when people get all huffy when you don't agree with them

i don't like being far away from my family

i don't like being far away from my friends...but i like being close to new friends

i don't like when my guy has to work all the time

i don't like that there are only 24 hours in a day

i don't like being sad

and if you were starting to think that all i do is not like stuff well...

i love laughing at dumb things, going places, singing to myself, dancing around and making lists

come and gone

2010-04-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

yes, that pretty much sums up how my WITL project went. I sort of lost steam toward the weekend. I was too happy with K's homecoming and just didn't care to photograph it. I think I'll begin putting it together later this week. The relatively few snapshots I took and what I wrote each day really represent a small fraction of my life. It gets boring after a while...so many ordinary activities repeated. Oddly enough, such a project gets you thinking. My life...so small yet so incredibly valuable. I guess it doesn't take much, as one week passes to the next, to wonder where all the time goes.

the photo above is my beloved nephew...4 years ago

my achilles hill

2010-04-22T09:38:00.001-07:00

image here

for several weeks now I've been going on daily walks. I rise early, slip on my sneakers and head out into the cold gray morning. I am fortunate to live on a beautiful street with a view of the sound as my constant companion. I typically listen to music...but i don't require it. I find my thoughts are more than enough to keep me occupied, that is until I reach the end of my street. The end is a lovely spot that opens up to another side of the sound. I then have a few choices: I can turn around and return from whence I came, I can go around the curve and continue on my path...or I can head up the hill.

Let me preface by saying that my city is full of hills. It is difficult to walk anywhere without coming in contact with some sort of hill and while my particular hill isn't exactly Mt. Kilimanjaro...it's a challenge for this 30 something, out of shape, pleasantly plus size girl. It is only 3 blocks to the the top, but they are three of the longest blocks EVER. I feel like time is stretched thin and like a rubberband might snap at any moment and send me into cardiac arrest. I don't feel pretty trudging up the hill. I feel weak. I feel like that hill is fighting me the entire way up and for most of it...i'm getting my ass kicked.

I intend to conquer this hill, which to be perfectly honest may seem inconsequential to some, but to me it is my nemesis. It is symbolic of all the things that hold me down. When I conquer it...there will be another and then another...of this I'm sure. It should really be prepared...'cause if it's looking for a fight...it's gonna get one.

get busy livin or get busy dyin

2010-04-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

image here

ok...so the title was a bit melodramatic, but it's the truth, no? If we aren't busy living our lives what are we doing exactly? Waiting? If so...for what? I'm not a very patient person so waiting does nothing for me. What I love so much about Ali's WITL project is that it helps me to focus on actively living. It is an interesting thing that happens when you decide to document your life. You begin to see the tiny everyday fragments that make up the landscape of your existence. In so doing, you find yourself very much aware of the living part of life.

Documenting artfully is not for everyone, but whether you do it with a camera, an instrument, a paintbrush or some paper and glue...I encourage everyone to take a week any week and observe yourself. Tell your story and live...live your heart out.

on getting and being got

2010-04-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

it doesn't happen to me very often. that elusive magic that forms between two people. That bone deep recognition that fills our desire as human beings to be understood. To discover that place where communication occurs on a visceral level. To be got. Is it a romantic notion...this idea of "getting " somebody?

Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day.

-Rainer Maria Rilke