confessions of a blueberry bandit

Adventures in California-land...

(My BFF Kasia & me in the Sequoia National Forest)

As I mentioned in my last post, Andy & I recently spent a few days in Los Angeles.  It was my very first visit to the great state of California, and it was far too brief!  I had such funny imaginings of what L.A. would be... And I was mostly wrong.  I found it to be so different than any other place I've ever visited.  I was blown away by the hills, all the exotic plant life and architecture...  the amazing nearby nature despite all the traffic and sprawl.  I saw lots of everyday people and dogs... and not one single celebrity.  I surprised myself by really, really enjoying it.  (Shhh... Don't tell Andy.  He wants me to move there, and I'm not sure I can handle living in a giant city where you have to drive everywhere on those crazy-scary freeways.)

We started our LA adventure by visiting Venice Beach, and I think we caught it on the gloomiest day ever.  I actually think the beach is quite beautiful on a cloudy day, though...

On a day like this, there were no people roller boogie-ing in bikinis.  But I did see a family of six touring the pier on Segways, Gob Bluth style.  Sadly, I didn't get my camera in time to capture them.

I realized that my toes had never before touched the Pacific Ocean, so Andy & I braved the frigid water ...

We experienced unusually cool, rainy weather for most of our trip, and people kept apologizing, unaware of the fact that I do not prefer endless sunshine.  I think L.A. was trying to trick me into loving it.

This fat seagull let me get so close, I was sure he would let me squeeze him... Or maybe he was waiting to peck out my eyes.  I decided to play it safe.

I have never been all that interested in Hollywood or celebrity glamour, but we did cruise through Hollywood-proper in our stylin' grandma rental car (a Crown Victoria).  And we explored Mulholland Drive and Runyon Canyon Park to see the amazing views.  I had no idea L.A. would be such a hilly place!

Andy and the elusive "Hollywood" sign...

Steep trails led to lovely views.

Andy & I were both fascinated by the La Brea Tar Pits and the saddest elephant ever...

We stood there watching the bubbling tar for quite a while, trying to imagine what it all looked like before a city sprang up around it.

Andy couldn't resist smelling some tar.  I politely passed.

Loved this bear by the tar pits...

I think I drove Andy crazy by constantly shouting, "Look at that amazing tree/flower/plant!"  Who knew L.A. would be host to such varied & spectacular flora?  I don't know why I didn't take more pictures to help me identify them... Like the trees that looked like giant broccoli stalks?  And the one with the enormous red flowers? And the shrubs that looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book? 

These flowers and crazy trees were growing near the tar pits.

One thing I do know is that the people of L.A. sure do love some doughnuts.  I have never seen so many donut shoppes in my life!  We were planning to visit the world's first ACM (Automatic Cupcake Machine), but we decided we just didn't have time to wait hours in line and settled for a different trendy bakery.

I think this was the best doughnut I've ever eaten...

My BFF & her hubby & one very jaunty hat...  Only temporary installations in L.A.

I managed to squeeze in a little side adventure to the Sequoia National Forest with my BFF before leaving, and it was definitely the highlight of my trip.  The 2-3 foot snowfall prevented us from seeing most of the park, but we still managed to see some absolutely amazing trees.  I was a little disappointed to miss out on the General Sherman tree (largest living tree by volume?), but I think all that beautiful snow made for an extra magical experience.

I was not prepared for 3 feet of snow... It was 80-something degrees when I left Athens, GA.  I had to layer half the clothes in my suitcase and borrow hat, scarf & gloves from my friend.  Thank goodness for ever-dilligent snow plows... Otherwise we would have been trudging through this the whole way!

 

Heading into a tree tunnel...

Inside the tree tunnel...  A person could live here.

I promised myself I would keep this short & sweet since I have a mountain of work to do, but clearly I've gotten carried away.  Hooray for adventures!

I'm working on some new things for the shop (pouches, tiny snails, etc.) and hope to be able to share them soon.  Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

♥

Adventuring

Greetings from the strange planet otherwise known as Los Angeles! I am here exploring for the first time and wanted to pop in to say a quick hello. Blogging is the thing I have most wanted and least wanted to do over the recent crazy-busy weeks, if that makes sense. I promise to return soon with more pictures from my travels and new goodies for my shop!

xoxo

Happy New Year!!!

I think 2012 is technically Year of the Dragon, but I prefer to think of it as Year of the Pegasus.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!  Mine was busy-busy but very nice.  I celebrated early mini-Christmases with my mom & Andy, and I spent Christmas proper in Atlanta with my dad's side of the family.  I got so many great gifts and felt very spoiled by my loved ones.  Andy & I surprised each other with BB guns, which was pretty hilarious.  Mine is pink.  I am sooo not a gun enthusiast, and never thought I would own a BB gun... But I used one at a friend's barbecue a while back and learned that I am pretty darn good at shooting balloons.  (What's next.. Pink camo?)  Andy also gave me a Chia Pet, something I have wanted more than anything in the world since I was a little girl.  I just think they're neat, ok?  Don't laugh.  So far mine is not growing, but hopefully I can share pictures soon.  Another particularly touching gift was a flash drive loaded with all of my dad's (amazing) recipes... Such a great idea!

I love these beautiful letterpress mushroom bookplates from my Aunt Dana so much...

My mom commissioned tiny sculptures of my pets... Shorty is particularly lifelike.  (Can't remember the name of the artist off the top of my head.)

Andy's brother & our sister-in-law sent us this mini pie maker and a book of handheld pie recipes... I think this is going to get us into a lot of trouble!  Delicious trouble.

Roasted watermelon radishes from Christmas dinner... so pretty & tasty!

After Christmas I spent a long afternoon with some dear friends visiting from New York, and I got to meet the latest addition to their family.  I made a bigger, baby-safe version of my snail out of soft, nubby fleece.

I think she liked it, despite the frown.

They are such a sweet family, and I really wish I could see them more often...

Andy & I spent New Year's weekend at a cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with a big group of friends.  I had never been to Pigeon Forge, and it kind of blew my mind. The entire (small) town is one great, big, kitschy tourist trap, especially this time of year, when everything is absolutely blazing with Christmas lights.  Pigeon Forge is home to Dollywood (sadly, it was closed) and a gazillion other crazy attractions (not to mention dozens upon dozens of pancake houses, mini golf courses, and go-cart tracks).  We drove to nearby Gatlinburg and took a (scary, precarious) chairlift up the side of a mountain to ride back down on a (scary, precarious) alpine slide.  It was really fun, despite a frigid three-hour wait in line.  I decided to continue the terror-adrenaline surge by riding a go-cart for the first time in 26 years.  (Have I ever mentioned my traumatic, humiliating childhood go-cart crash?)  I'm not quite sure how I did it, but I survived without incident, and I even braved the "pro" course.  I think conquering a life-long fear is a pretty good way to start a new year, don't you?

Why didn't I buy this sweatshirt? 

Fantasy Mini Golf in Pigeon Forge...

Our "cabin" ended up being in a gated community of many near-identical chalet-style "cabins" all stacked together on a hillside...  It wasn't quite what I expected, but it was very nice & cosy inside.  And there was a lovely view from our porch.  All in all, we had a great time.

Sigh.. back to real life.   I have a ton of work to catch up on this week, but I am planning to finish some new pouches for the shop very soon.  I've had some requests for more snail ornaments as well, so keep a look out for those.  I got inspired to design some little mushroom gift tags for personal Christmas gifts, and I'm considering adding some to the shop.  What do you think?

Wishing everyone much love & happiness in 2012!  See you soon...

♥

 

Escape to New York!

Andy & I hopped our train to New York and had a fabulous time! 

I left my "real" camera in my suitcase for the entire trip and only photographed with my iPhone.  I have to admit it was really liberating...  This is coming from someone who used to lug around a large-format (film) camera and tripod and all the accoutrements.  Now I have been completely seduced by digital technology.  It's funny, but getting an iPhone (after resisting it forever) really reignited my love of photographing.  How amazing is it to take a photo and instantly share it with the world?  (Hello, future!  It's so nice to meet you!)

Anyway, it was a lovely & inspiring trip overall.  Please join me (and forgive the ridiculously long post)...

I really loved the unexpected deco lettering on the train station door...

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We had a sleeper car on the way up... It was tiny & expensive, but sooooo worth it!  If you ever travel by train, I highly recommend the upgrade.  (The 19-hour return home in regular seats was miserable...)

  

Am I the only one who gets excited about things like folding sinks?

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There was no lack of graffiti on the train ride... You tend see the skeeziest parts of each city you pass through.  My favorite graffiti was simply the word "crotch" scrawled across a wall. Sadly I did not get a picture.

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 Lovely sunrise view from the train.

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Breakfasting in the diner car.

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Somewhere in Virginia?

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Washington, D.C.

 

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And finally in the big city...

Have I mentioned that I love Hipstamatic?  Yeah, it's trendy, but it makes everything look so great.

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Sake at a Brooklyn sushi joint.

(I ate so much good food, not to mention cupcakes and rice pudding... Why didn't I take more pictures?)

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Henry Darger exhibit at the American Folk Art Museum!!!  Most of the exhibit featured Darger's personal collection of art & ephemera, but there were a couple of his (amazing) large panels.  It was a small-ish exhibit, but great nonetheless.

 

Kasia's a little unsure about what's going on here...

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Somewhat creepy wooden dolls, also in the folk art museum...

And an even creepier hair wreath.  I was fascinated by this.

We also spent some time in the MOMA, one of my favorite museums, but I think I had killed my phone battery by then, so no pictures...)

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And on to the wedding, the whole reason for the trip!

Smokestack in the park where my friends had their wedding.  I can't remember the name of the little park... somewhere in Williamsburg, right by the water.

Chris & Annie getting hitched... It was the windiest day ever, but a really lovely wedding.

 

   The happy couple!

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Amazing view from the park.

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Wedding party jump!

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Andy & me & my amazing wind-blown hair...

Weddings are just like roller coasters!

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That's my man...

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After the ceremony, the bride & groom and most of the wedding party hopped on bicycles and rode to Aurora, where we enjoyed a lovely dinner, and then on to The Richardson, a speak-easy bar where I had an amazing drink called a "Scottish Dew."  All I can say is whiskey and cucumber.  Yum.

Post-wedding sparklers at the bar!

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My last full day in the city I was able to spend some time with my uncle & aunt & cousins who live in NY.  I don't see them often, so I was really pleased that it all worked out.  We had lunch together in a great  Turkish restaurant in Brooklyn, and then just the gals broke off and traipsed around Manhattan.

 

 

They took me to Dylan's Candy Bar, a child's dream-come-true (but potentially a parent's nightmare!), and had frozen hot chocolate.  And cupcakes.  And immediately lapsed into sugar comas.  It was great.

The gumball tabletops and peppermint-striped seats were such a nice touch!

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We spent a long time walking along Central Park and did the customary carousel ride... I love the Central Park carousel so much!

 

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We also explored the High Line, which was new since I was last in NY, and was a really great way to see the city.

It was sad to say goodbye... 

But it was also nice to return home to my little house and my animals.  I'm feeling recharged and ready to get back into makin' stuff.  Hopefully I will have something to share soon!

♥

 

Welcome, Spring!

I've been waiting for you...

 

Andy & I had a lovely time on our trip to Denver, relaxing and visiting with family & friends.  Unfortunately we both got a terrible bug just before returning home.   I spent all of last week being sooooo sick and trying to catch up at work.  (Andy & I had to struggle through a show even though both of us felt ghastly and Andy's voice was going.)  I've only felt well again the last couple of days, just in time for the beautiful spring weather we've been having!  I've been sneaking out to soak up some sun every chance I get and enjoying some nice, long walks.  Craftiness has, as usual, been on hold... but I promise I have several things that are near-finished.  I'll be working all weekend to help meet a huge deadline for my job, and then I'm hoping I can get back in the studio next week!

In the meantime, I'll share some pictures from our trip.  Andy's parents own a bit of property in the mountains (Ranch of the Rockies), where they've built two tiny but super-comfy cabins.  We spent two very relaxing days there and were sad when it was time to leave.  It is breathtakingly beautiful there, in the high plains...

 

Our little cabin...

 

The view from the outhouse (the most pleasant outhouse imaginable!)...

Everything is powered by wind or sun, both of which there is a great abundance...

 

  

(Sorry... Obviously I have a thing for Airstreams...)

 

 

I'll be back soon with some honest-to-goodness Progress! 

Happy Spring!  (I suppose it's Happy Autumn for everyone in the southern hemisphere!)

♥ ♥ ♥

p.s. 

I just had to sneak in a picture of Andy & me riding an ATV... probably the only time you'll catch me on one!  It was terrifying!

And, of course, the obligatory picture of Junebug enjoying a sunny afternoon...

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I...

After a somewhat disappointing visit to Helen (which ended up being not quite as cute or charming as I remembered), Andy & I headed deep into the woods.  There we spent a magical, beautiful afternoon walking for miles in the dappled shade, breathing in the smells of rich, damp earth and springtime flowers, listening to the soothing hush of the wind through the trees...  And I suddenly remembered what life is meant to be about.  Not staring at a computer all day long or fretting over whether my clothes are fashionable enough or peeling a hot cell phone off my cheek...  Here in the modern world, I often find myself feeling so terribly fragmented and lost and lonely...  But in the forest I feel like I am part of it all, whole, willfully disoriented yet precisely where I should be, alone but never lonely.   I don't think anything makes feel happier or more at peace than stepping as softly as I can over pine needles and ferns, rubbing my hand against smooth bark, watching a sweet brown bunny munching silently on leaves.  Sigh...

I had bitter tears in my eyes when it was time to return to the parking lot.   And the car.  And this strange thing we call life.  There is a part of me that would like to rid myself of all my material possessions and live the rest of my life in a hollowed-out tree trunk.  And then there is my overwhelming fondness for hot showers and modern plumbing...  So I'm making a conscious effort to strike a bit more of a balance between the two.  Try with all my might to function (at least a little bit) in the superficial modern world, but never let myself get so cut off from all that is real in life.

Which is why I have moved my "office" here, at least in the mornings, when it is still cool outside:

 

My faithful (if a bit lazy) assistant was obliging enough to relocate as well...

 

And I've pledged to spend much more quality time with some old friends...

 





I have so many more thoughts to share today, but the apparently new & improved TypePad set-up is making me want to throw my computer right out the window.  So I'm going to take a (hot and sweaty) stroll through the tiny patch of nature in my back yard and then bake some organic chocolate chip cookies.

I will try not to let my yearnings for a simple life keep me from creating and blogging.  I hope you can all find a moment to commune with some trees very soon.  Have a lovely week!

♥

- - - - - -

p.s.

Yeah, Helen kinda sucked.  Maybe it's because we didn't stay here:

And because everything seemed to be closed (for good) in here:

But at least I got to photograph these tiny, amazing, magical scenes from Charlemagne's Kingdom, a massive model railroad...

Dancing with the White Rabbit...

(Sounds of suitcase unzipping...)  Greetings! 

I'm sorry to have disappeared down the rabbit hole for such a long time.  I have been ridiculously busy... settling back into life, learning to drive a stick-shift (attempting, rather), embarking on yet another business trip (this time beautiful, exotic Florida)...  re-resettling back into life.   Not to mention trying to stay crafty! 

I finally finished this sweet beret-clad birdie after many months of pushing it aside.  I'll be listing it in the shop this weekend.  (The flower is a removable brooch.)

I also have a new painting that is very near completion, but that will have to wait until another day. 

I haven't been able to dedicate much time to sorting through the hundreds of pictures from my adventures in Paris and New York City, but I'll go ahead and post a few.

My lovely cousin Kristina & her French love, Antoine...

The view out of Kristina's living room window...

My cousin lives on the edge of Montmartre (as seen in Amelie), down the hill from Sacre-Coeur...

Me, tired and sweaty after climbing all those steps...

And of course I had to ride the carousel...

Sacre-Coeur is beautiful at night (the view from a friend's window)...

The weather was pretty much like this the whole time I was in Paris (except colder and rainier)...

Yep, there it is...  I have been to Paris twice and still haven't managed to climb the Eiffel Tower...

I love this green tile in the train station...

The Colonnes de Buren in the courtyard of the Palais Royale.  They made me think of concentration camps and prisoners...

Shocking proof that it's ok to drink wine at work in France...

My first-ever (and hopefully last) flaming shot.  Consumed on my last night in Paris...

My BFF Kasia pushing the giant Alamo Cube in the East Village (New York)...

And getting a bit personal with the Mad Hatter in Central Park...

And that's me dancing with the White Rabbit...

And, finally, back home to my beautiful oak tree (and my sweet Andy, and my sweet Junebug)...

Sigh...  My travels were an amazing growing experience.  Scary at times, but amazing.  It might sound silly, but I am tremendously proud of myself for making it through my solo adventure.  I will try to post some more photos in the near future.  Now I'm off to enjoy the beautiful day and maybe even finish that painting.  I promise not to be so scarce from now on! 

Have a lovely weekend!

Jetsetter...

Well, I'm back from my adventures in Paris and New York!  I had a lovely, lovely time in both cities.   I have pictures and stories galore, which I promise to post very soon.  Tonight I am settling back in my nest with a very happy Junebug (who, incidentally, melted in my arms upon my return). 

(Apparently I like to close my eyes when visiting exciting places...)

See you soon!

Au Revoir...

Well, the tearful moment has finally arrived to say goodbye to my sweet Andy & my sweet Junebug and all of my sweet readers!  I have a long and grueling journey ahead of me, but tomorrow I will wake in Paris!!! 

Andy is embarking on a very exciting tour of his own next week... This means we will be apart for a solid month, save a brief rendezvous in New York to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary.  This might explain all the tears a bit...  Anyway, please take a look at Andy's tour dates, because he just might be appearing in your city soon!  He puts on a very funny and entertaining show, I promise!

I'll be back Sunday March 30 and  reopening the shop Monday, March 31st.   I may try to pop in for a quick hello every so often if I can.   I hope you all enjoy the rest of your March!  Wish me luck!

xoxo

p.s.  Sniff...

I'm a Little Bit Country, I'm a Little Bit Rock & Roll...

Hello!!!

I am back from my travels far and wide, and I have lots of pictures to share! After time in the country and the city, it feels lovely to be back in my little town and my little house. With my little cat...

I have been terribly busy with all the post-travel catching up, but yesterday I took a break to go to a local pumpkin patch and have a pumpkin-carving shindig! (I think the last time I carved a pumpkin was probably sometime in the late '80s.)   

Don't they look nice all together? I tried to convince everyone to leave their jack o'lanterns with me for safe keeping...

That's mine with the razor-sharp teeth. I picked the toughest pumpkin in the world and required quite a lot of help from an expert...

Andy looks so comfortable with that leering pumpkin on his shoulder!

I am excited about Halloween despite the fact that Andy & I still have not figured out our costumes.  I will have to post more about that later.

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And now back to my travels...

Part 1:  Bedford, Pennsylvania:

We made the long drive to   Bedford with the rest of M Coast and spent two very relaxing days at Emily's (very old) family farmhouse before making our way to New York for CMJ.  It was a lovely time.

Don't let Andy fool you... He's no country boy.

Part II: I Heart New York City!

I have been to New York a handful of times now, and each time I find it to be a little less intimidating. Kasia & Tal live in a surprisingly beautiful part of Brooklyn (I suppose you would call it Ditmas Park), where the streets are lined with great big Victorian houses.  (Sadly, I forgot to pull out the camera, so you will have to take my word for it!) 

We walked and walked all over Manhattan and consumed quite a bit of tasty food. We even journeyed to Queens to have dinner with my friends Chris & Annie.  They made us fresh tempura and entertained us with organ and theremin music... I wish I had remembered my camera because they are super-cute!

Cupcake Tour 2007 didn't actually work out and, in fact, I did not eat a single cupcake.  However, I did eat plenty of dumplings from Dumpling Man.  And cream puffs from Beard Papa's, where the friendly employees fill your puff with cream right before your eyes!  They were so fast that I couldn't get a picture!

Mmmmm... cream puffs. 

And rice pudding from Rice to Riches in Nolita... Who knew rice pudding could be so tasty (and trendy)?  

Andy & I shared Category "5" Caramel with buttery graham cracker blanket topping.

Thank goodness our hosts love to eat...

I tried to avoid super-touristy things, though Andy did drag me to Times Square to visit Nintendo World and Toys 'R Us.  (Shudder... I have never seen so many ill-behaved children in one place...)  I did not have a rendezvous with Conan O'Brien, but I did spy Tim Burton walking down the street.  We locked eyes just for a moment, and I  tried to hide the deep disappointment in my eyes.  I longed to ask him why his films have gone awry, but I kept walking.  I think I made an impact.

A brief afternoon in the Museum of Natural History, where I would like to live someday.

This made me think of Junebug because, you know, she's always killing peacocks...

For some reason I was obsessed with the  fake puddle of water in walrus land.  I think I would like to make fake puddles for a living.

I fell in love with this little shrine (?)...  Now I have to find a way to make a table with these little wooden birds.

Andy & I worried that we stuck out like sore thumbs, but we trudged on... 

And of course we had to spend some time in Central Park!   It was the most beautiful day of carouseling and rowing...

Andy is jazzed.  Look at him.

We only bumped into other boats a few times...

Andy & Tal look so idyllic...

Kasia is not really so sinister...

Yeah, that's me with the GIANT head!

It was a lovely time, indeed, and after all was said and done we hopped a train.  Well, we didn't really "hop" the train, but... 

It was a lot of fun, even if I didn't meet Cary Grant in the diner car.  Next time I embark on a 16-plus hour train ride, I will definitely spring for the sleeper car! 

Well, I am thoroughly exhausted... I'm off to finish a sewing project now.  I hope to be back very soon with some Progress. 

Have a lovely Sunday!

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p.s.  You should check out this movie trailer... 

My very own Kasia stars as the creepy nanny with mouths for eyes!