Lady and Light

A baby and French Macarons

2011-12-05T08:35:00.000-08:00

Wow...I have been totally absent from the blog-o-sphere lately. Life just seems to run away with itself sometimes. To quickly catch anyone up who still stops by here...my husband and I are expecting a March baby!

Needless to say we have been very busy making preparations baby Ieshee (my nickname for our little one since we are not finding out the sex). My husband has been busily preparing the nursery which includes pulling up carpet to refinish the hardwoods underneath, adding wainscoting and painting. We are going with a very neutral color scheme, a rich gray with yellow accents to the room.

I've also found myself baking more and more lately. I got this determined idea to try and make French Macarons this weekend, and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome:

They look like little pink hamburgers, but they are much more delicious than that! I was nervous about how they would turn out since I've heard they are pretty time consuming and finicky to make. Luckily I found a great easy recipe, and my first batch turned out perfect! My husband was super impressed. Here's the recipe if you're interested: French Macaron Recipe

Letters & Postcards

2011-05-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

Out going mail for the week!

On the left are 3 friends I met during high school through Foreign exchange programs. I never pursued the opportunity to study abroad but I did become good friends with students who did. Georg and Mic were students at my high school from Germany and Italy. Olga was part of the host family that my best friend lived with during her Junior year abroad in Madrid (and that I stayed with during my summer graduation trip to Spain). I've kept in touch with all of them, which has never been easier due to facebook. But hey! I like writing the old fashioned way.

On the right are a few postcards sent to friends in New Orleans and Olympia. My mail goes near and far!

All this mail enthusiasm has led to me to want to try a little "boomerang" mail art project which I will tell you more about after I nail down the details.

George

2011-05-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

It's looking as though my photo blog is turning into a mail art blog! This is what you get I suppose when you have an obsessive personality that floats from one idea and passion to the next.

As for George, he was a good buddy from my photography days at The Evergreen State College. I have many fond memories with GG...working in the darkroom or bumming around town with our cameras. He is a fabulous photographer working out of Brooklyn, NY, check out his site George Barberis.

Miss you old friend!

Third Thursday

2011-05-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an extremely relaxing and enjoyable evening after the 4th day in a row of stressful work blues. It was the perfect day to come home to not one, but two surprise packages! The first was a belated wedding gift from a dear friend and the second was a cute felt floral pin from a total stranger!

The rest of the evening included an impromptu picnic at a friends and Arts Walk adventures downtown...a lovely spring day in the Northwest.

Teeny Tiny Postcards

2011-05-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

More mail! I found this fun template on the Photojojo site. I spent a chunk of Saturday afternoon mining through old photos of my friend Rachel who I met my Sophmore year of college, so I've collected quite a catalog of our shenanigans.

I took these photos as my little keepsake of our memories.

Pen Pal Project

2011-05-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

A friend of a friend told me about a pen pal project that she was involved in. Being a lover of sending a receiving mail I decided to join. This will be my first send off and above are just a few photos of what I have included to some lovely stranger.

The project has inspired me to continue to create and craft mail for friends and strangers alike. So who knows, you might receive something from me one of these days!

Momma's got the goods...

2011-02-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

 Red Onion and Blue Cheese Spread

This is one of my favorite recipes that my mom gave me. It's super easy and great to bring to parties as an appetizer. I made it last night for a social event I was attending and it was a hit.

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

2 garlic cloves minced

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

freshly ground pepper to taste

Baguette slices

Red grapes for garnish

In a dry pan toast the walnuts, set aside. Put olive oil in a pan over medium heat and lightly the saute the red onions and garlic. Add olives and heat through. Stir in the walnuts. Put the blue cheese on a large platter or serving dish, pour the heated olive and onion mixture over the blue cheese. Gently stir to mix.

Pepper to taste and add red grapes to garnish.

*I also made another super easy appetizer which is what the basil in the first photo was for. I stuck mini mozzarella balls on a toothpick followed by a quarter slice of a cucumber, a basil leaf and a cherry tomato. I brushed them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper and voila!

I see nothing but the horizon ahead

2011-01-11T17:01:00.000-08:00

{View from our lil' cabin in Mar Don Resort, Eastern Washington}

I am very excited about 2011. I feel like this is going to be a great year, and much of that is due to the fact that I have DECIDED 2011 is going to be a great year. I have lots of ideas that I want to explore creatively and I have of hopes to dedicate myself in a more outwardly fashion.

What are your big hopes, dreams and goals for 2011?

Adventures at Christmas time

2010-12-28T12:46:00.000-08:00

Hello again! Seems like I might never come back to this space, but I had such a wonderful Holiday weekend and a fun Sunday afternoon adventure with my sister that i had to share.

My husband and I had everyone over to our place for Christmas which included his family for Christmas Eve dinner (minus Anna who is in Cambodia...we miss you!!!) and then my family joined everyone for Christmas morning breakfast.

It was such a blast to have everyone celebrate the Holiday in our home. Peter made Christmas Eve dinner which was Cioppino over roasted garlic mashed potatoes with a side of crab cakes. My sister in-law brought a great Broccoli salad and I made my Aunt Lynda's famous Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls. Breakfast Christmas morning included Norwegian Pancakes, fresh fruit, bacon/sausage and mimosas. Yum!! We definitely know how to eat well around here.

My niece and nephew ran around the house so excited for Santa and church and dinner at Uncle Steve's. We played Dominoes, Scattergories, an insane version of the TV show "Minute to Win it" and the Box of Things which is a pretty hilarious game to play with your in-laws. All in all it was a great Christmas with the family.

Sunday was all about hanging with my sister!! We started off with a coffee and then decided to do a little tour of Tacoma which included visiting the home where Bing Crosby was born, then onto Stadium High School where my husbands grandparents went to school and the famous Heath Ledger movie Ten Things I Hate About You was filmed. Then we took a stroll across the Bridge of Glass with original blown glass pieces by Dale Chihuly. We ended our adventure with a stiff Martini at the Harbor Lights...made popular by Tacoma elders who love a good early bird special!

I hope you all had a great Holiday with family and friends.

* [All photos taken by Alanna Hart except for No. 6 - face behind the martini.]

Send me the pillow you dream on...

2010-12-01T05:32:00.000-08:00

Wow! I can't believe it's already December...I have been a very absent blogger lately but I did have some time to put up some fun gift ideas I've seen while shopping for the lovelies in my life. Granted these are the things that caught my eye, but I can't post you the awesome finds I found for my friends and family until after Christmas...because that would spoil all the fun!

1. Dean Martin - I love listening to him croon. If you lived in my neighborhood you'd see me dancing like no one's watching while I walk my dog while listening to my Dino Pandora station.

2. Kelly Green Buckhead Pillow by Reagansbrain - The color of this pillow is so vibrant! I have been ridiculously into animal themed decor lately, if you peaked at my mantle you'd see 2 Ryan Berkley portraits of squirrels, some pheasant feathers in a vase and an owl pitcher on display.

3. Wool herringbone clutch by Sans Map - Love the yellow print on the inside!

4. Peacock Feather dish towels by Michelle Brusegaard - These are so sweet.

5. Joy Ride Locket by Wiyomu - I've been wanting a locket for a while, the last one I had was from middle school and had a photo of my summer camp crush, Colin.

6. Penguin Classics - Gorgeous hardback designs of some of the greatest classic stories.

7. Face Painter by Sophie Blackall - Strange but interesting.

8. Fences debut album - I've been really into Macklemore lately and on his album, Vs. The Redux there is an AMAZING remix of Outside which features another Seattle artist, Fences. Thanks to Brittany being on the look out we're going to see Fences and Neon Tree's next week at the Showbox!

What type of gifts are you giving this year?

Darling Diptych :: Confection

2010-11-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Ah!! Celebrations abound!! It's both Brittany and my birthday week. My birthday was Wednesday and Miss B's is today. I had a lovely birthday which included a surprise from my sister with flowers and a picnic lunch. We were so lucky to have a beautiful crisp fall day to enjoy lunch at the park!

I'm excited to be celebrating our mutual November birthdays with Brittany again this year. Last year we were up in her neck of the woods and this year, my husband and I are hosting.

AND...It was Brittany who first made me aware of Movember. "Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men's health by growing a moustache." (Hense the mustachioed pecan pie!!)

Check it out!

p.s. In light of the fact that Brittany, her hubby and my hubby are all Irish (and I'm a wee bit as well) I baked Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes...just like the ones my sweet Aunt Lynda baked for our wedding!!

Darling Diptych:: Soft

2010-10-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Wow! It has been a long time since I've posted. It's been a busy fall, but after a few weeks break we are back at the Diptychs. Hopefully I'll have time to post some other fun projects I've been working on in the near future. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Choice jewelry

2010-10-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting dainty little necklaces like these for a while...I love the simple chain and the small little beads or charms at the end.

I remember a guy asking my a long time ago, what my favorite feature of my body was, and I replied "my collarbone"... and I think any of these would show off my favorite feature beautifully.

1. flat sterling necklace by roundabout
2. lamina - antique gold by edor
3. cherish - au naturel by edor

Darling Diptych :: Little Treasures

2010-10-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Happy Friday! I'm battling a nice head cold that seems to be going around, so I may be bagging my plans to run the Oktoberfest 1/2 Marathon and stay home in bed instead. Boo!

I hope you are all feeling better than me!

Darling Diptych :: Facedowns

2010-09-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

Top: Mo

Bottom: Brittany O

This week's diptych was fun! Brittany suggested the idea a while back, you may recognize it from such blogs as I love facedowns and Facedowns.

You might be wondering, where is that cool wall with the octopus tentacles? Well dear readers, that is the outside of Seattle's first distillery...Sound Spirits. Cool right!? Very.

My friend Rachel and I decided to stop in Wednesday night for a taste and a tour of the small batch distillery located in Ballard. Steven Stone, the owner, is super friendly and chatted us up while pouring us each a sample of Ebb+Flow, his single malt vodka made from Washington Barley. This vodka was different from anything else I've tried, it's a bit sweet and very fragrant, great for sipping. The hint of citrus has me thinking it would make a great lemon-drop. I decided to buy a bottle for my sister whose birthday is today, and will be celebrated tomorrow night...with lemon-drops! (She won't see this before tomorrow.)

Not a vodka fan? Worry not, Steven is currently working up recipes for Gin, Aquavit and Absinthe. He was kind enough to let us sample a bit of each. Rach was a BIG fan of the Gin...I now know what to get her for her birthday!

It's a miracle I didn't end up facedown myself after all the tasting!

Darling Diptych :: Blue

2010-09-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Happy Friday everyone! It's been nothing but rain and fog around here lately, so blue seems fitting.

Mic + Somaly :: The Wedding

2010-09-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some photos from the Castro's wedding over Labor Day Weekend. It was such a fun wedding with tons of dancing. Somaly is a 'long lost' high school friend I reconnected with via facebook, you may remember her and Mic from their engagement photos. It was great to get to hang out with her all day and chat with some other old friends I hadn't see in years.

Thanks to Brittany for second shooting and hanging out with me all day!

p.s. - My blogger template is currently under construction, so things might look a little bare for a while.

Darling Diptych :: Childhood

2010-09-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

It has been a crazy, busy last couple of weeks! Last weekend I was lucky enough to photography a beautiful, super fun wedding in Seattle with the help of my diptych partner Brittany! I should have some photos of the event up on Monday.

That being said, I didn't feel all that creative with my diptych this week. Although it did give me the chance to try out my new white balance lens cap. I like it!

Brittany's Diptych :: Before + After

2010-09-03T06:32:00.000-07:00

Diptych and refinishing project by: Brittany O

Turns out I'm a big flake and in the chaos of my day job and my side photo projects, I totally forgot about my weekly date with Brittany. Fortunately she has come through with her own diptych, showcasing her talent for refinishing furniture! She has shared her flair for this kind of thing a few other times on her blog, like when she spiffed up Betty. Check it out!

Hope you all have a fun weekend.

When I grow up I want to be a forester

2010-09-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

Fever Ray a.k.a. Karin Dreijer Andersson has been playing on my itunes a lot lately. Ever since I first heard her on my last.fm radio station I couldn't get enough. I played her debut album over, and over, and over again! If Gaga has 'little monsters', I'd be Fever Ray's booming wallflower.

Wes + Soly :: Part 2

2010-09-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

A few more bridal party shots and shots from the reception of this "mountain casual" Idaho Wedding. I can't say enough how much fun the whole wedding weekend was. It was so incredibly bright and colorful!!

Darling Diptychs :: Numbers

2010-08-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Strange numbers! This one cracks me up, I love the randomness of it all. I drive by this house(?) every day on my way to work. I'm not sure if it's a home that someone lives in, the front half looks very "under construction". And on the side are odd paintings. One section imposes a speed limit for all SOV's...I still am not sure what that means.

The weather has definitely cooled off around here, which isn't too bad for most of my plans for this weekend which include getting stuff done inside. I hope Sunday pulls through with a bit warmer weather though as I'll be outside taking lots of photos!

I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Fox & Bobcat :: 1 year anniversary!

2010-08-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Sweetpea & I have been married 1 year now! To 'commemorate' our 1st anniversary I'm sharing with you one of my favorite wedding gifts. This lovely photograph taken and given to us by my friend Christine. It is by far one of the best gifts I've ever received. It is hanging over our fireplace just above our owl water pitcher. Sometimes I gaze at it and pretend that Pete is Fox and I am Bobcat.

Our celebration included a fancy night in a lush hotel in Seattle this past weekend (thanks to a generous Aunt & Uncle). We also indulged in Tutta Bella pizza, Magners Irish Cider, and some killer huevos rancheros for breakfast...

My favorite memories from our 1st year:
♥honeymoon in Ireland
♥rocking out at concerts together: The Pogues & The Grandtours
♥buying a kick-ass house
♥many weekends spent together at Hat Island
♥floating in our 3 ft kiddie pool on hot sunny days
♥splitting plates of fish & chips & raw oysters
♥blasting the boss while cooking together
♥bike trip through the San Juan Islands
♥lazy sundays
♥playing cribbage on the back porch

I love you Pete! It's been an amazing year.

Wes + Soly } Casual Idaho Wedding

2010-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots from my friend's wedding weekend in Idaho. It was a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere and I was so thrilled to be helping out. Soly + Wes, with the help of friends and family put a lot of work into their wedding day, and it showed. Soly's ring was designed by an artist she located through Etsy, and it couldn't be more her style!

♥Congratulations Wes & Soly!! You guys rock.♥

Darling Diptych :: Sleep

2010-08-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Sleep is something that I am happy to have enough of after my 3 day weekend in Boise. Speaking of sleep...my hubby and I will be sleeping in luxury this weekend, when we spend Saturday night at the Pan Pacific in Seattle to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. (Thanks to the generous gift from his Aunt & Uncle). Today is my lovely momma's birthday so we'll be spending lunch with my parents and sister tomorrow afternoon at a local Italian restaurant with the BEST Neapolitan Pizza around. I guess I'm some sort of foodie, because I'm also looking forward to huevos rancheros for breakfast Sunday morning at a place my husband says is the best he's ever had! Yeah for celebrations!

I hope you have something fun planned this weekend!

Wedding Weekend River Float

2010-08-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a whirlwind of adventure in Idaho. I flew to Boise Friday night and met up with on of my best gals (Maggie) whom I met 10 years go while attending my freshman year of college in Missouri!

Maggie's cousin Soly was getting married and I offered to help out and take photos (this was a beautiful, laid-back D.I.Y. wedding). The ceremony was next to a dilapidated barn on the side of the road outside of Cascade. It was a gorgeous hot sunny Saturday, and it was a blast!! I hope to have some photos from the wedding up by next week, but I couldn't resist throwing up a few from the HUGE rafting trip down the Cabarton that half the attendees participated in Sunday afternoon!

AND YES...that really is someone's face tattooed on someone's butt.

Darling Diptych :: Calm

2010-08-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Brittany and I both live by the bay but about 2+ hours apart, and it seems like we both enjoy the calm waters. It was all about timing for me this week. I planned on snapping a picture of the bay along my daily drive to work and the morning that was most beautiful and calm with pink tones behind the islands...I forgot my camera, of course. So I took it the next day and was surprised with a totally different feel, the bay was completely fogged in.

I never get tired of the different displays I see on my morning drive along the waterfront.

S. O. S:

2010-08-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

Skirts or Shorts

---

I never really did much shopping for summer clothes this year and I am really regretting it now, with a trip to Boise this weekend for a friend's wedding and nothing to wear in the hot weather! I went looking for shorts the other night, but the one pair I loved of course came in any size but mine!

The wedding this weekend is "Mountain Casual" so I was really looking forward to wearing a cute pair of comfy shorts and a tank top, but unless I make some magic happen in the next few days I might be stuck with some tired old sundresses from last summer. I think the skirts up top from Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 are pretty cute too...

What to do what to do!?

Darling Diptych :: Growth

2010-08-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

When I first thought about this week's word, I imagined the door frame at my parents house that shows in small increments how much my sister and I (and some friends) have grown over the years. I thought about making a little replica at my house, but my husband wasn't too keen on the idea. So instead I took a picture of the only growing thing on our porch that I haven't killed. All the potted flowers I had were doomed from the start, but as long a plant bears fruit...I won't kill it.

Stop motion video :: The suitcase

2010-08-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

This past spring I started working on a project that I mentioned here. Well, I finally got around to putting it together. Originally I intended to do a bit more editing of the photos involved in this video...but because I took sooooo many, I kind of lost steam and decided to just put the video together as is. It's kind of a rough draft I guess.

I'd love any feedback you have on it!

Kelly Moore photography bag

2010-08-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

I saw this bag while browsing the web for photo gear this weekend, and I'm in love! Hello wish list, this bag is moving to the top! I have a gear bag now, but: 1) it doesn't hold as much & 2) it is nowhere near as cute.

The b-hobo bag in heather grey, by Kelly Moore, can hold a good amount too: "up to a 9 inch lens, camera body, flash, phone, batteries & other accessories".

Darling Diptych :: Strange

2010-07-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

This week's DD made me laugh out loud. I'm just curious what the owner of those pants walked away in? Maybe they didn't have time to put them back on because an important call was on hold down the street?

Portage Squeeze

2010-07-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday was spent like a good, sunny Saturday should be...outside biking and exploring. Rach and I biked down to the ferry from my house and took it over to Vashon Island. We'd been warned by a few people about the hills, (and it WAS hilly) but that didn't phase us.

Top to bottom/left to right:

1. New frontier

2. Bike rest

3. Keyboard purse in a local shop

4. Rachel posing with "Cool Gary"

5. Cockatails from The Hardware Store

6. Self portrait

7. Girl biking at the stationary bike graveyard

8. Rach looking northeast

9. Red bike left next to tree in 1964, now some 6 feet off the ground

10. Abandoned shed by red bike

We ended up with a flat that left us walking up a really huge winding steep hill, and after about an hour a fellow biker pulled over to help us out. If it wasn't for him we would not have made the perfect timing to catch the ferry back. Yeah for good biker karma!

Darling Diptych :: Pleasure

2010-07-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Left: Me

Right: Brittany O

So the above picture is not the one I imagined taking when we chose this week's theme, but that is often how it works. I might imagine one picture and end up with something totally different after I mess around with props, angles, poses, ideas, ect.

My photo captures one of my top pleasures of summer. There is not much I'd rather do than lie out in the sun (with my SPF30 on of course) and read a good book, usually I fall asleep after a while because it's so warm...and maybe I've had a daiquiri.

Twenty under Forty: #7

2010-07-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

New Yorker

Left to Right/Top to Bottom:

1. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 2. Chris Adrian 3. Daniel Alarcón 4. David Bezmozgis 5. Sarah Shun-lien Bynum

6. Joshua Ferris 7. Jonathan Safran Foer 8. Nell Freudenberger 9. Rivka Galchen 10. Nicole Krauss

11. Yiyun Li 12. Dinaw Mengestu 13. Philipp Meyer 14. C.E. Morgon 15. Téa Obreht

16. ZZ Packer 17. Karen Russell 18. Salvatore Scibona 19. Gary Shteyngart 20. Wells Tower

I love finding different ways of exploring my love of reading. I found this list of young writers from the New Yorker and have decided it will be a fun project to read something by all of them. I started with #7: Jonathan Safran Foer. I have had a copy of Everything is Illuminated on my bookshelf for a few years now but hadn't read it yet because I had seen the movie first (which I LOVED), and therefore wanted to wait a significant amount of time before reading it, so it would have it's own impact on me. Generally I try to read the book first, but that doesn't always happen.

As for Everything is Illuminated, I finished it last night...and I double LOVED it! Oh, it made me laugh and it made me cry, sometimes both within only a few pages of each other. When a young American Jew travels to Ukraine to find out who saved his Grandfather from the Nazi's, there is a story of immense sadness and tragedy mixed with the beauty of what it means to be alive and aware, to live and to love, or at least try to love.

Darlying Diptych :: Texture

2010-07-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Going very neutral this week.

I'm off to the island again this weekend, and I've got a book of short stories I'm excited about. Hope you all have a great weekend!

In love and blogging...in your nineties

2010-07-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

When I read about this couple on CNN my heart melted a little bit. Harry and Barbara Cooper, affectionately known as PopPop and Cutie, have been married for 72 years! That's not even the best part...they keep a blog about it called The OG's (Original Grandparents).

It's great to see a marriage so strong after so many years.

He Took The Butter Off Her Knife

2010-07-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

During half time of the World Cup yesterday, I walked through the street fair taking place next door to my friend Amanda's house. I love checking out all the different tents from different vendors, but I don't often come upon something that I ~~really like~~ adore. Yesterday I did! I found Bonnie Jones Photography, she's a local artist and she was displaying her work at the fair. I came away with a great little piece I'm saving for my sister (who doesn't read this blog, so don't worry) and her upcoming birthday.

I checked out Bonnie's blog, Explore Daily, and saw that she is currently working on a project called Journal Portraits. Having been a the kind of girl who has kept a journal on and off since 3rd grade (all stashed in a box under my bed), most diligently when I'm traveling, I find a strong connection to her images.

The above photograph "He Took The Butter Off Her Knife" corresponds with this entry:

Friday, January 4, 1946

Canada

"She was at the table one day and she reached her knife and helped herself to butter. And her husband took his own knife and stretched his hand out and took the butter off her knife with his knife and put it back on the plate. It was as though the poor thing couldn't have any butter. Maybe it was no wonder she became queer - and maybe she wasn't the only queer one in that family. That was a queer thing to do, to take the butter away from her, right off her knife with his knife."

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*It made my weekend to find something like this in my own backyard, and it also gave me inspiration to keep working diligently on my own photography.

Darling Diptych :: Found

2010-07-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

What Else Is There?

2010-07-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Röyksopp - What Else Is There?

{I don't know what more to say...I love this song, this video, this voice.}

Twelve Things

2010-07-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Lobster and Swan, started an interesting blog topic...Twelve Things. What 12 things would you take with you if you had to start over again? Not the everyday necessities...but the sentimental items.

These are the 12 items that I picked out. They are for the most part items that remind me of my love, my family, important friendships and traveling. You can see them featured at Lobster and Swan with many other lovely items by clicking here.

ADDED NOTE: I forgot one very important item that was a wedding gift. It is so fragile and precious that it has been packed away in a box with lots of padding until I can find a safe place to display it. It's so special that it jumps to the start of the list that is now Thirteen Things. I'll take it out and add it in a later post so you can see what I'm talking about.

Darling Diptych :: Red

2010-07-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

I LOVE the color red! I painted the walls of my college bedroom red, floor to celing. It was pretty intense.

I hope you all have a fun and safe 4th of July/Holiday weekend! I'm looking forward to diving into the next book in the Slow Readers Book Club, The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia.

Ten off the top

2010-07-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

"Unclose your mind. You are not a prisoner. You are a bird in flight, searching the skies for dreams." ~Haruki Murakami {from Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World}

Thoughts like that are why Haruki Murakami has held place in my heart as numero uno ever since I first peeled back the pages of the above book over 10 years ago...

As summer surges on, and with a Holiday weekend approaching I find myself thinking about books, books, books! I have a few in mind to read this summer which I'll share in another post, but first I wanted to share some of my all time favorite reads. These books are in no particular order other than Murakami's novel, which is what I'd take with me if I were stranded on a desert island and allowed only one book.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World ~ Haruki Murakami

One Hundred Years of Solitude ~ Gabriel García Márquez

Stone from the River ~ Ursula Hegi

Geek Love ~ Katherine Dunn

Tipping the Velvet ~ Sarah Waters

Of Human Bondage ~ W. Somerset Maugham

The Grapes of Wrath ~ John Steinbeck

The Alchemist ~ Paulo Coelho

The Fountainhead ~ Ayn Rand

In the Time of the Butterflies ~ Julia Alverez

What about you? What books do you recommend off the cuff? I love hearing about the books that inspire others.

"Sleep to dream"

2010-06-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

I dream intensely almost every night, and my dreams grow stranger as summer heats up. Last night I dreamt that I confronted a burglar in my home while I was alone...I searched his pockets before letting him leave.

Darling Diptych :: Up

2010-06-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

With all the planning it takes to get ready for a long weekend getaway, I forgot to send Brittany my photo for last week's Diptych! So we are resuming our Friday project today, with Up.

The weekend is here again so quickly! Do any of you have exciting plans? I am running in the Seattle Rock-N-Roll 1/2 Marathon in the morning, and the thought of getting up at 4 in the morning so I can be ready to run in a race that starts after 7 isn't sounding so good anymore...hopefully I'll get more pumped up about it in the morning, once I start hearing the bands!

R&R: PNW Style

2010-06-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

We're back from 5 great days in the San Juan Islands. We had a great time and were blessed with sun everyday! We had some beautiful beach side campsites, cooked up some grubbin' meals, as well as eating out a few times too. My favorite was at Allium, on Orcas Island, where I had a carrot soup starter with cilantro, nutmeg and a dollop of cream. My entree was wild mushroom open faced ravioli that was delicious. Pete had clam chowder and some amazing salami gnocchi, all this paired with some quality wine.

We explored the towns on bike and sat on many sunny decks with a tasty cocktail in hand. We ate fresh seafood and local ice cream that knocked my socks off. All in all it was a great way to spend five days with good friends. What fun trips do you have planned this summer?

{The last photo was taken by Pete...and I ♥ it!}

Island Hopping

2010-06-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to take the next 5 days off for a bike trip through the San Juan Islands with Peter and our friends Spence & Meg. It's been years since I've been up to the San Juan's, a place I used to go to practically every summer with my family for camping and boating excursions. My husband hasn't really spent much time there so I'm happy to explore one of my favorite places with him!

We're taking our bikes and plan to do a ton of biking over 3 islands: Lopez, Orcas and San Juan. I love the ferry ride out there, it's so gorgeous and I can almost smell the salt water right now as I sit at my computer...

I'll be back next week, hopefully with some great photos to share with you all!

{Photos by Carolyn Coles 1 & 2}

Darling Diptych :: Deserted

2010-06-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

This week's diptych brings back a lot of memories from my photography program in college. I was known for mainly taking photos of abandoned trashed locations around town. My favorite was an old greenhouse/nursery that had gone defunct and become the unofficial dump in town for broken down washers, mowers and many other random items. I guess I've never really let that interest go!

"Nobody Lost, Nobody Found"

2010-06-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was cause for major celebration. Our good friends Annie & Andy whom I met in college were back in the PNW and stayed with us for the weekend, it was a long time coming as we haven't seen them in 5 years!! We made the most of the weekend, enjoying the amazingly beautiful Saturday with Polish Horseshoes, pizza and Bellini's.

This is a silly video I strung together from some pictures we took on the porch Saturday afternoon. No one ever accused us of being great dancers but we do know how to throw our heads around!

I'll be posting pictures of Polish Horseshoes and the pyramid formations we insisted on doing later this week!

Darling Diptych :: Movement

2010-06-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

The gritty and the pretty.

Darling Diptych :: Night

2010-05-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

After reading Brittany's description I thought I would put my two cents in over here. I used to be a night person but something has changed these past few years. Maybe my husband who likes to be in bed by 9:00pm is rubbing off on me! My photo was taken at 9:40pm...it was almost completely dark out by that time, but due to the long exposure I was able to capture the hint of a fading blue sky.

Darling Diptych :: Yellow

2010-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

The 48 HR Hustle

2010-05-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

How cool is this idea? A magazine edited and published in 48 hours!
The premise: They unveil a theme and contributors have 24 hours to produce and submit their work. 48 Hour Magazine then takes the next 24 hours to put it all together. Voila!
The result: A website and tangible version ready for delivery.

"We promise it will be insane. Better yet, it might even work."

I'm going to have to order a copy of Issue Zero...because I'm just too curious not to.

{Found via CH Bearstar}

Sylvia Photgraphy ♥

2010-05-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

While exploring Flickr I stumbled upon some beautiful images taken by Sylvia, a 12 year old Spanish photographer. Aren't these lovely? I wish I could say I was producing this caliber of work when I was her age, but sadly it's just not true.

{Sylvia Photography}

Land Art : Site Intervention

2010-05-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

It would make my day if I passed by any of these "installation" pieces while out and about. This type of creative work transforms these everyday monotonous public places into something worth a closer look.

{All work by D. Billy}

Darling Diptychs :: Birds

2010-05-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

♥Engagement Shoot: Ballard Locks Garden♥

2010-05-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

We lucked out with such a beautiful day in Seattle for our Engagement shoot this past Saturday. Somaly and Mic were so much fun, they both had the best facial expressions. I'll post a few more next week from the second half of our shoot which was "Street Style" in downtown Ballard.

Darling Diptychs :: Bubbles

2010-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

I am excited to announce a new feature on Lady & Light. I've teamed up with my lovely and talented friend Brittany from Dolce Design :: The Dish to create a weekly installment of diptychs a.k.a. Darling Diptychs!

I look forward to the surprise of seeing what we'll come up with for each word, phrase or idea. I hope you do too!

"What do you want me to do - learn to stutter?"

2010-05-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

The local non-profit art-house theater in our area The Grand Cinema, is playing this classic Noir masterpiece next week. Grabbing some popcorn to sprinkle with braggs & nutritional yeast and seeing it on the big screen sounds like a good way to enjoy the film!

What are your favorite movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood?

My getaway is not that far away

2010-05-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

I have a special place that I have been escaping to since I was about 5. It's my aunt and uncle's cabin out on Hat Island, a small private island located in the Puget Sound. It's a community of homeowners who get to share in the beauty of a small island with little more than gravel roads, a gas pump, a volunteer fire fighting brigade and the most amazing views of the sound.

My mom always said I had a suitcase packed under my bed, ready to jump at any moment on the chance to visit the island. The majority of my summers growing up were spent digging for clams, climbing the sand walls, swimming and jumping on the giant trampoline with my sister and cousins.

A few weekends ago I went out again with my cousin Garrett. We spent our time eating great food, listening to new music, trying in vain to jump start the 4-wheeler, laying on the deck blowing bubbles and strumming guitars and hitting golf balls. It was a weekend well spent.

Do you have a particular place in your neck of the woods that is your escape?

Hot in Herre

2010-04-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

Along the lines of Brittany's post over at Dolce Design, I had to post this remake of Nelly's - Hot in Herre. I say, raise a toast to all these creative covers of mediocre pop, re-mashed into something much more enjoyable!

Not sure exactly what is going on in the video...I guess stuffed animals know how to party?
p.s. is that Santa??

Future dreamings

2010-04-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

Just a little sneak peak from some shots for my current photo project. I'm off to Gedney Island (we call it Hat Island because it looks like a top hat from the mainland) this weekend with my cousin, and hope to get some more work done there.

Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend? Enjoy...whatever you find yourself doing!!

Family Tree

2010-04-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

I have often thought with curiosity about my ancestors and who and where I've descended from. My grandmother on my Dad's side was born in the states shortly after her parents emigrated from Norway. My childhood memories of her include a freezer stocked full of pickled herring, and the pungent smell of her gritty Gamalost (cheese) spread on toast with a fried egg. I don't know much about my grandfather on that side and where his family came from. On my mother's side I know that my relatives lived in Canada before crossing the border into Michigan.

After reading Half Broke Horses, for the Slow Readers Book Club, I have thought more about delving into my family's past and learning who came from where. Who are we if we don't know something about where we came from? It seems that today, so much of the stories from our past, the recipes and skills are lost in translation. Technology often replaces the need for these things to be taught from one family member to the next. Hopefully researching my past can help bring me closer to the people that I've never met but are responsible for my being.

{Silhouette Family Tree by Lepapier Studio}

Home is whenever I'm with you

2010-04-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

I heard this song on the radio a few days ago while cooking, and I fell in love with it. I heard it again yesterday on my lastfm station and was excited to find out who it was....Edward Sharpe adn the Magnetic Zeros.

It reminds me of my carefree college days... *sigh*

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Long Shot: 24hr Photo-thon

2010-04-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

1. 2.

3. 4.

What could be more fun than an assortment of different people out and about for a 24hr period taking photos of anything and everything? Not much I think. It's the Long Shot: 24hr Photo-thon put on by Photo Center NW and it's an event to help support and benefit the center. Anyone anywhere can join!

My friend Christine, who is a part of the PCNW community, clued me in on this fun event. It goes from 6pm Friday, April 30th to 6pm, Saturday May 1st. Above are a few shots from 2009 (the first year of this project).

1. {Lifesavers-5:20pm by Cynthia LaRowe}
2. {Timepiece-12:28pm by Todd Gehman}
3. {Alex-12:12am by Carlos Melgoza}
4. {I'm Ovulating-10:15pm by Bellen Drake}
.................

We do what we can

2010-04-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

I have a few projects lined up to keep me thinking creatively throughout Spring/Summer.

One has to do with diptychs and a lovely and talented friend. ; )
The others I will share with you as I finish, so long as they turn out okay!

What projects, experiements, adventures are you daydreaming about for your sweet self this summer?

Yo Ho Ho

2010-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nautical imagery, jewelry, themes ect get me every time. I guess growing up near the bay has made me feel especially close with all things related to the deep blue.

These necklaces from Stuff By Kate are adorable!

A happy home

2010-03-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

We had a fun little house-warming/birthday party on Saturday. These are a few photos from the event. It was a Potluck, which basically meant I ate too much of an assortment of really good dishes. To name off a few: stuffed mushrooms and tomatoes, smoked salmon chowder, quinoa salad, cheesy potatoes, homemade hummus & dill dip with fresh market veggies, bbq'd oysters and sooo much more! Yum, I'm getting hungry just writing about it.

Brittany brought a beautifully wrapped box which housed the cutest little owl pitcher which I promptly displayed on our mantle. Rachy gave us 4 gorgeous little champagne saucers that had belonged to her grandmother. So naturally, we sipped champagne like the dainty women we are out of the etched glass saucers the rest of the night! I also love the radio my mom & I purchased for Peter. It looks vintage but you can plug your i-pod into it!

It was a fun night, although I wish I could have stayed up a bit later instead of going to bed before my guests!! I woke up the next morning and Brittany, Tanner & Luke had cleaned my entire kitchen/dining room! Sheeesh! Talk about good friends!

{Photo of Brittany & I taken by Luke Markus}

Happy Birthday love...

2010-03-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Another birthday is here...this will be our 6th we've celebrated as a couple, and I look forward to many more together. I love you Peter!

Here is a little song we both love, this wasn't our wedding song, but it was a close second.

As for celebrating tonight, I'm planing a nice dinner with a glass or two of wine.

{Photo by Joel Brust}

Hello, nice to meet you

2010-03-26T05:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet yourself? I imagine it would be like listening to your voice on someone else's voicemail....strange and otherworldly. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to meet me, know me, laugh with me, yell at me, cry with me, and hug me. Weird....I know, but I'm curious how other people perceive me.

I think I could be friends with me.

---------------------------------

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! We're having an house-warming party this weekend, so I might bore you with photos from our new digs next week.

Let's Grow!

2010-03-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

I made my first trip to a local bookstore in our area. I actually went there to order the next book for the The Slow Readers Book Club, which will be Alice I Have Been, by Melanie Benjamin. When I walked in I quickly browsed the table upfront to see if anything caught my eye. The Urban Homestead, by Kelly Coyne & Erik Knutzen did just that!

Having recently bought our first home, I am really excited to get a big garden going. At our last place my husband was much more attentive to the garden, I'd help out when asked but I never really took ownership in it. This time around I really look forward to being involved all along the way. We have both agreed that the east side of our house will be a perfect area to create a lush garden. Its a large space, gets plenty of sun, and that leaves the backyard for entertaining and as wrestling grounds for our dogs.

My husband likes to joke about how starting a compost bin for our backyard has been a project I have put off for 3 years, but I'm going to make it a reality this year! The book is full of great ideas for composting, mulching and trying to let nature do as it was intended (no pesticides and letting the birds, bees and bugs help out).

The Urban Homestead is about becoming more self-sufficient by using the land you have (whether you rent or own, live in an apartment or even squat) to grow as much of your own food as possible while leaving a smaller impact on the environment. I want to be more connected with what we eat and I'd like to cut out large supermarket chains as best we can. Between growing our own veggies and fruit, and taking advantage of the local Farmer's Market I think we can do that quite easily.

Third time's a charm

2010-03-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

I am a big Wes Anderson fan. I have yet to get tired of Bill Murray’s quirky Steve Zissou in The Life Aquatic, and I wish I could experience life as any of The Royal Tenenbaums, just for a day. I love the weirdness that is Bottle Rocket, yet for some reason I had trouble getting into The Darjeeling Limited. I fell asleep the first two times I tried to watch it, most likely due to the fact that I started watching it late at night.

After a busy weekend, my husband and I decided to watch a movie and I was a little bummed when he picked this film because I was sure I'd fall asleep again. Fortunately I made it through and was pleasantly surprised with what I'd missed before. I wouldn't say it's my favorite Anderson movie, but I loved it none the less. The scenery is beautiful, and the interactions between the 3 brothers though subtle are hilarious.

*Aren't these guys just adorable!?*

Next on my list is his latest film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox! Have I mentioned that I’m a HUGE Roald Dahl fan?

The Grandtours & Pufferfish: A Georgetown House Party

2010-03-16T09:07:00.001-07:00

*Pufferfish*

*The Grandtours*

My buddy Myles plays in a band, The Grandtours. They played their first gig at a house party in Georgetown this past weekend to kick off some upcoming shows and the release of their EP, The Centaur. It turned out to be a clear cool day even though rain was predicted. It was a great turn out with about 50 people there at one point. We all kept warm between two bonfires, decked out in our hooded jackets, rain boots and scarves...and of course flasks of bourbon and a keg from the Georgetown Brewing Co.

They played with Pufferfish, a Seattle band that makes use of among the traditional instruments; the banjo, accordion, washboard and cowbell to create some amazing tunes laced with a bit of country, bluegrass, and rock and roll. You can check out their tune, Wrecking Ball here.

The Grandtours played a great set. It didn't feel or sound like it was their first by any means. And the Christmas lights strung throughout the yard gave a moody and magical feel to the music as the sun set and the evening turned to darkness. Unfortunately they are so new I don't have a sample to share, but I will post one as soon as I get my hands on their EP!

If you live in the Seattle you can catch their upcoming shows:

*April 7th - The Tractor Tavern

*April 20th - The Tiger Lounge

Check out their website for more information.

P.S. You rock Myles!!

15 two, 15 four, and a double run of eight is twelve!

2010-03-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

My husband grew up without a television, so his family is fiercely competitive when it comes to games. Since settling in our new house and making the conscious decision to leave the t.v. in the basement, we have been playing a lot of card games to entertain ourselves. My favorite is cribbage. Being horrible at quick math I can feel it forcing my brain to work harder as I try to count out my points.

I found these cool cribbage boards on Etsy of course! They are both handmade and a great gift for the cribbage enthusiast.

What are your favorite games?

{1 via Timber Green Woods & 2 via Wood From the Hood}

To Sweden I must go...

2010-03-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

It's official. I've fallen in love again...

*sigh*

...with Sweden!

I've always loved Swedish pancakes, maybe that's where it all started but today I realized with finality that I must visit Sweden. Last week while checking out one of my favorite blogs Please Sir, I discovered Anna Hurtig, the amazing photograper from Sweden responsible for the haunting images above as well as many more which you can find here.

Then there is the fact that everytime a song comes on my Lastfm that I really really love, I have to check and see who the artist is, 9 times out of 10 they have been from Sweden! Give these artists a listen and try and tell me their tunes aren't making sweet love to your ears...

*Miike Snow
*jj

*Lykke Li

*Loney Dear

*The Knife
*Jonathan Johansson

*Peter Bjorn and John

Chalkboard Art

2010-03-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

I've wanted to find something a bit classier than a dry erase board for grocery lists and reminders. Pete and I both thought a chalkboard of some sort would be perfect. I love the magnetic chalkboard up top. It's also a great way for kids to draw on the wall and not drive their parents crazy!

I don't think an entire chalkboard wall would work well in our house, but I do love the Rococo Chalkboard Wall Decal from Seltzer Studios. I can already picture it or something very similar in our kitchen.

{Image 1 found via Frugal Home Design & Image 2 found via Seltzer Studios}

'The mustang-breaking, poker-playing, horse-race-winning schoolmarm of Coconino County'

2010-03-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

I'd like to think that if I was born at the dawn of the 20th century, somewhere in the Southwest that I too would possess the same self assured, no nonsense attitude donned by Lily Casey Smith.

This true-life grandmother to author Jeannette Walls led an interesting life not necessarily shared by the majority of women at that time. Raised on a ranch in West Texas where her father bred and trained carriage horses, she learned at a young age how to take care of things on the farm and help out with her younger siblings. Alone at the age of 15 she set out with her horse Patches on a 28 day journey to rural Arizona where she was to begin the first of many teaching jobs.

From that point on she always did what she felt was right for her, whether it meant losing a teaching job because she wouldn't apologize for her style of teaching, moving to Chicago to find work, or even selling "hooch" during the prohibition out her back door (and hiding the cases of booze under the basinet in the baby's room). She was fearless; always ready to take on the challengers that life brought her. She had an unabashed sense of right and wrong and she didn't mind telling anyone just how she saw it.

Being a teacher most of her life, Lily found life lessons in almost everything. If I learned anything from this book, it would be to slow down and take pleasure in the small beauties. Be it a cool glass of water on a hot sunny day, being resourceful with your window drapes, or savoring a sweet novel like this...enjoy yourself...and be yourself.

Happy Birthday Katie!!

2010-03-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

I remember the first day I met Katie, she was wearing the coolest vintage button up shirt with a butterfly pattern in burnt orange and brown. She had moved to our high school from out of town. We became fast friends.

Over 10 years later we are still very close even though we are so far apart, I'm on the West Coast and she's on the Gulf coast in New Orleans.

So Katie...if you're reading this....I hope you have a wonderful birthday with lots of adventures filling your new year.

P.S. - The sketches are by Ms. Katie. You can view some of her amazing paintings here.

Your sunshine

2010-02-25T06:33:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a few recent shots from my 365 day project. Spring has come early around here, Winter bowing out after a short stay. I lazed around our new neighborhood last weekend soaking up the lovely sunshine. I danced in the basketball court at the park across the street so happy to have the sun out for days at a time. I went on runs along the waterfront, drank coffee at the little coffee shop a few blocks down the street and unpacked all our books to go in the built-in bookshelves circa 1924.

I am giddy. I know that I will make the most of the sunny days that come and go this spring/summer and that makes me ecstatic. I will take hundreds of photos, I will go on long bike rides, I will ride the ferry to Vashon Island, I will have adventures with good friends, I will go swimming, I will float the river, I will go to concerts outside...and I will dance to songs like I am not a Robot over and over.

What will you do with your sunshine?

Home brew hobby

2010-02-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a lovely and relaxing weekend! (I know…I know it's almost the weekend again.) We spent a fun couple of days in a cabin in the snowy mountains, where we unveiled to friends our home brewed beer. These are the labels we came up with, two versions to add a little variety. It actually turned out really well, so we're on to try an IPA and a Pilsner next.

We moved mid-week so things have been very busy and exciting in our neck of the woods. Needless to say I might be scarce around here for a bit, but I'm sure I'll be posting some updates regarding the new house soon.

Happy love day

2010-02-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

What are your plans this weekend? Peter and I are heading up to the mountains to play in the snow, sit by a fire and listen to old records with good friends. It's our V-Day tradition and this will be the 6th year!

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day Weekend!

Is this me?

2010-02-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results. I have found myself in this rut lately. I see things in my life I want to change but I am not making the efforts to change them. Instead I just mull things over in my mind a million times, which really only takes up valuable space and leaves me feeling drained.

So that's me up above, asking myself what I will do differently today.

It's time for a change.

My love is no short year's sentence...

2010-02-08T05:54:00.000-08:00

A few photos from the last 2 weeks of my 365 day self portrait project, and a poem I will hold dear to my heart for the rest of my days...

♥

'My love is no short year's sentence

It is grief lodged under the skin,

Strength pushed beyond its bounds;

The four quarters of the world,

The highest point in heaven.

It is

A heart breaking or

Battle with a ghost,

Outrunning the sky or

Courting an echo.

So is my love, my passion and my devotion

To him to whom I give them'

♥

-Author unknown

Old School Stationers

2010-02-05T06:59:00.000-08:00

How cute are these 'Camping Circa 1960's' prints from Old School Stationers out of Portland, OR? They are available as cards, journals and wall prints. I think these would be great framed and hanging up in our future den! The images remind me of one of my favorite children's books (I read to the kids I babysat when I was in college): A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee.

Click here to find a store selling their work near you.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Dolce Design :: Wallpaperie

2010-02-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

My lovely friend Brittany over at Dolce Design :: The Dish, is so kind to share with everyone a charming desktop design for each month of the year. I was delighted by her design for January which featured my favorite little creature Mr. Squirrel.

But Brittany...how I love your creation for February!

♦ ♥ ♦

Thank you B!

Branching out

2010-02-01T06:12:00.000-08:00

{Ted Muehling Branch Candlesticks via Remodelista}

I was flipping through an old copy of Smithsonian Magazine and came across these gorgeous candlesticks that come with a not so gorgeous price tag...$1,298.00! Ted Muehling originally created the pieces in 2003 and they were included in the exhibit "Rococo: The Continuing Curve, 1730-2008" at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York. I sighed when I saw these candlesticks they are so lovely.

The pieces, made at a Munich porcelain factory that has been in operation since 1747, were cast from wind-twisted cedar sticks.

I would love to have a set similar to this flanking each side of our fireplace mantle with my favorite framed photograph by my friend Christine Tran right in the middle! I can see it already.

Unfortunately I have searched online for something similar, and nothing is quite as stunning or breathtaking as Ted Meuhling's work.

Here are a few of the others I found:

{via ivillage}

$19-$29

{via casa sugar}

$89

{via home decor}

$19.95

What do you think?

The Golden Age

2010-01-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Spring is nearly around the corner and I can't help but get excited about all the lovely vintage inspired pieces from Urban Outfitters.

They transport you into a different time. I love watching old movies for that very reason; the styles are so classic and moving. I wish I could afford to fill my wardrobe with items like these, and find the warm weather to wear them in!

Sleepyhead

2010-01-27T07:05:00.000-08:00

I have been so tired lately. I really could just lie down on the ground and sleep. I'm yawning all day long at work and my co-workers are telling me it's contagious. Not sure exactly what is causing my constant sleepyhead, maybe the mental stress of waiting for everything with buying our first home to come through. We have found such a sweet little craftsman home in the old part of Tacoma. We are down to the final steps waiting for the loan to finalize and then close! I am beyond excited to have a place to call our own.

This is good for waking up a slow brain...

-Passion Pit * Sleepyhead-

{Image found via Zilupe's photostream}

365 days update

2010-01-23T08:25:00.000-08:00

It has been challenging but also a lot of fun working on the 365 day photo project. Some days I get home from work, it's dark out and I don't have a lot of energy but I still force myself to do more than an arm's length snap shot of myself.

These are my favorites from the past 2 weeks. The top and bottom were the most fun to shoot. The top photo was taken in Rach's beloved alley near her apartment in Seattle (after I took that shot we had light wars with her headlamps). I actually like the graininess caused by my high ISO setting, I think it's fitting with the alley. The bottom shot was taken in my basement while blasting Santigold on the stereo.

Stairway to anywhere

2010-01-21T07:03:00.000-08:00

I love this stairway! I'd have to start using the library a bit less and perusing the used books stores a bit more if I were ever to attempt something like this, but if I did I swear I'd clear a small space, grab a few throw pillows and nap on these stairs!

There was a period of time as a child where I had to wear an eye patch (due to a mole behind my eyeball...weird huh!?). I remember taking my favorite blanket and napping on the stairs, pretending it was my bunk on a pirate ship. That memory came flying back when I first saw these photos over at post grad hair cut. They are the creation of Levitate Architecture out of London.

Tea time

2010-01-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

Some days I want to fall down a rabbit hole. Trade this world in place of another. If I were lucky enough to stumble upon a wonderland and have tea with the Mad Hatter I'd be sure to wear this lovely gold pocket watch so as not to be late. I think the grey linen dress by Kcoline would be fitting for such a meeting and I imagine we'd dine on china not unlike the tea cup above.

Lucha con memorias

2010-01-15T06:56:00.000-08:00

Bimbo's Bitchin' Burritos was my favorite hole in the wall restaurant as a teen. Love for me was the garlic mashed potato burrito with red sauce. I spent many weekend afternoon’s drinking Jarritos and stuffing prom photos under the glass tabletops.

I had my first taste of burrito love in years, this past weekend when I met my cousin Betsy for lunch. It has since moved a few blocks away and now goes by Bimbo’s Cantina and they swapped the nude velvet paintings for photos and artwork featuring luchadors; but it still has the same atmosphere.

If in the area it’s definitely worth it and if you’re lucky you might get our waiter. He’ll hook you up with extra guacamole for the price of a few compliments and once you’re square on the bill he’ll let you know his hangover has gotten worse and he’s off to the bathroom to puke.

Nothing like an afternoon at Bimbo’s!

What are some of the unique haunts in your neck of the woods? I’d love to hear about them.

{El Luchador print from firecracker press}

Redheads, chandeliers & redheaded chandeliers

2010-01-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

While listening to my last fm radio station yesterday a song by Florence + The Machine came on and one of the images they displayed of this lovely lady was the one above where she seductively sits next to an ice-like chandelier. I found myself daydreaming about how I want to decorate our first home. My husband and I are in the process of house hunting and have looked at some very promising places. Although for our starter homes none of these chandeliers would really fit in with the style we are looking at, let alone our budget I still like dreaming about them.

Expect to see more home decor posts in the future as we get closer to finding a house to call home.

♥Florence + The Machine * Kiss With A Fist♥

{Images found via 1 - 2 - 3}

Fantastic Frankie & Big Daddy K

2010-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

I went a little crazy when I found Big Daddy K's photostream on flickr. I love the photos of his daughter Frankie. She is absolutely precious and has so many expressions telling different stories (which he does an incredible job of capturing). I wanted to reach right through the screen and squeeze her!

Big Daddy K doesn't just photograph Frankie; he also has a set of self-portraits that showcase his striking resemblance to Tom Waits...its surreal.

My kind of book club

2010-01-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Such is happenstance. I woke up Wednesday morning (day 6 of my 365 days photo challenge) and snapped the above shot. I have always loved to read, it used to drive my sister crazy when we shared a room growing up and I refused to turn my light out so I could continue to read my Piers Anthony novels. Though I've since moved on from the world of Xanth I continue to read regularly.

So...I was delighted when later that day I found this post about the Slow Readers Book Club. A book club I can join and not be rushed to finish the book! It's also a sweet little coincidence that the first book is Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls who also wrote the Glass Castle a book my sister gave me as a gift (she loves to read now too). For more information and how to join just click here or here.

Happy Reading!
♥Mo

365 Days

2010-01-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late on putting this up, but I thought I would share my New Year's challenge with you. I've decided to try and take a self portrait every day this year, I think it's going to get really hard. I often don't like the photos taken of me and I'm not that photogenic so it will be a challenge to find more interesting ways to capture the image. I thought I would share a few of my first attempts, and I plan to post updates throughout the year.

Aside from this challenge, I have not dived into a list of unrealistic resolutions besides a few general ideas that wouldn't hurt (be nicer, make daily choices to stay healthy and cook my sweetpea some nice meals on a weekly basis...something I have not been good about in the past.

Here's the link to my 365 days flickr set if you want to take a peek.

Sea inspired ceramics

2010-01-05T13:50:00.000-08:00

Staying out near the ocean this past weekend had me thinking about all the awesome animals living in the ocean, and it reminded me of these playful ceramic pieces I saw at a shop in Seattle recently. The water pitcher and butter dish would be perfect in any whale watcher's kitchen. You can find them here at Jonathan Adler's website.

First trip of the year:

2010-01-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

What can I say...I had a wonderful weekend with my family out on the Olympic Peninsula. This is our 17th year staying at Fort Worden; I'm thinking a big anniversary bash will be in order when we hit 20 years. I have ascended into the world of adults and a whole new gaggle of kids take flight running through the old army barracks, the fields and along the beach.

Highlights from the trip included board games like scattergories, fresh oysters with Tabasco, walking on the beach, popping in and out of the cute little shops in town, pizza, taking lots of photos and crab cakes and French toast for breakfast! All my little cousins were cracking me up; watching them interact can be some of the funniest moments!

Fort Worden was a great start to the New Year and I look forward to whatever else 2010 has hiding up its sleeve.

New Year, new beginnings

2009-12-31T11:46:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has a safe and fun New Year's tonight! We plan on keeping it pretty low key because we take off early in the morning to Fort Worden on the Olympic Peninsula where my family rents out Officer's Quarters for a weekend ever year around this time. Ever seen "An Officer and a Gentleman" with Richard Gere and Debra Winger? That's where we'll be.

My favorite New Year's celebration: I was 23, living in Olympia going to Evergreen State. My roommate turned new bff Rachel and I didn't want to go to any of the parties that year. All of our other roommates were out on the town, but we stayed home and had a blast. We put on our roller skates and turned out the lights so only candles and twinkle lights lit the house. We rode around the hardwood floors circling through the house listening to the Pixies "Where is my mind" on repeat as we sipped champagne and Sauza Hornitos Tequila. To this day I still haven't topped it!

What are some of your favorite New Year's memories?

{Flickr photo credits clockwise from top left: Itz a fine day, Simone Hudson, Magnera, Pink Sherbet, Jared, Medicine Man Sam.}

This little house

2009-12-30T07:20:00.000-08:00

We spent the night before Christmas Eve with our good friends Annie and Blain in Seattle. They live in a cute little house built in the 30's and located in Georgetown (Seattle's oldest continually settled neighborhood). Much of Georgetown today is warehouses, but there are a few homes squeezed in between, along with some pretty great little 'watering holes'.

We went to dinner downtown at 'Serious Pie', and it was seriously delicious. We all chose different personal pizzas; and to be perfectly honest between my delicatta squash, roasted garlic, gorgonzola lucifero and Annie's guanciale, soft egg, and dandelion greens it was a close tie!

Annie & Blain's house has the most adorable collection of vintage items spread throughout. I sometimes feel like I'm in a museum as I walk from room to room peeking at all of their treasures. My favorite item would have to be the Travellers opera glasses.They even have chickens in the back yard and we are often sent home with a bowl of pastel colored eggs.

I think I have house envy!