Snail Bombed

Yes, I'm breaking my months long blogging hiatus because of snails. I feel really okay about that.

I was informed yesterday afternoon that the park down the street from my apartment was going to be art bombed - with giant knitted snails. I've gotten into the really glorious habit lately of actually sleeping in past 6:45 am on weekends, and figured I could probably get myself cleaned up with shoes on my feet before 9 am. Success!

The artists were encouraging people to pick one or two out to take home. The cat seems to think that they are now hers.

Everything You Need

The Sweet Life

With shelves full of books and tiny potted herbs growing on our kitchen table- I think I'm doing alright.

Link Love!

Despite the fact that I'm currently supposed to be following an elimination diet- focusing on cutting out gluten and dairy- I am failing miserably.  I am truly guilty of only wanting what I'm not supposed to have.  This is no help:

- Perfect Cinnamon Buns from Chloe of Shoplifting in a Ghost Town make me want to weep a little.  Chloe has a really hilarious yet informative way of writing that I've always really admired (back in the days of Livejournal!)  Plus her kitchen tutorials include lots of food with faces.

- I feel a little like Patrice's groupie at times- but I totally can't help it.  Woman blows my mind!  Check out her recipe for Mid-Winter's Day Chai over at The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag.

- Both from Serious Eats:  Lemon Salt with Fennel and Chili- the prettiest herb salt I've ever seen. And Quick Homemade Hard Cider- using fresh apple cider and a few homebrewing essentials.  Kind of fantastic.


And a few non-food related goodies:

- Without Words (A Tiny Love Story) from Resurrection Fern is my kind of love.

 - Beating the Winter Blahs #5 at Painted Fish Studio has some great, simple wisdom, and a link to some really gorgeous coloring pages.  There's no such thing as being too old to color.

- My favorite, favorite, favorite blog as of late is Yum and Yuk.  I want her to post 300 times a day.  "A blog on books, running, the law, & design I can't afford. "There are only two mantras, yum and yuck, mine is yum." - Tom Robbins"

Sweet Little Knockoff

Earlier this week my friend Brittany sent me a link to a little handmade pouch that she had her eye on.  We have daily ongoing text message conversations about picnics and splotchy skin, so this wasn't anything out of the ordinary.  I haven't been sewing much lately, but when I saw it I knew I could make something similar.  Here is my version:

 

I had a lot of fun making it, and I can't wait to give it to Brittany!  Also note- I would never sell anything like this that I've made- I do believe I would go straight to crafting hell for a move like that.  Serious!

Owl Lover 2011 Calendar

This is too great not to share!  My Owl Barn is hosting a beautiful calendar for 2011- put together by 30 different artists- it's free to download, and you get to choose which picture you'd like to use for each month.  It would make a beautiful gift, or just a charming addition to your own home.

Creatures, Identified!

Last week I made a post with three pictures of "unidentified creatures".  Two of them were easy enough to figure out- but not one person guessed the first one!  So, in reverse order we have:

Creature #3:

Kombucha!

Creature #2:

Luna!  (One of my rescue kitties.)

And finally: Creature #1:

Hazelnuts!

Weird, huh?  I have this really odd habit of collecting plants and creatures (mostly plants, sometimes a snail) when I've had a glass of wine or two and am walking somewhere.  Most often I find sprigs of rosemary or lavender in my purse the next day, but sometimes it will be a weird seed pod or something like the hazelnuts that I'm not even sure of at first.  And now we know!

Oh, and Killary/Ghilly/Hilary was the winner!  I'll send you an email and get your mailing address, loverface.

Etsy Hunt: Pine Cone

One of my favorite ways to browse Etsy is by typing one keyword into the search bar, and seeing where it takes me.  I love to do this as the seasons change, hunting for items that invoke Spring or Autumn.  It's also great for the silly- I love searching for terms like "ghost", or "cats".  Quite often I end up falling in love with items that had nothing to do with my original search.  It leads me to artists I wouldn't have found otherwise, and pieces I wouldn't have sought out individually.  I'm not a huge impulse shopper by any means- but my Etsy purchases are more often items that I come across by accident, rather than items that I sought out or planned on purchasing.  I am a bit of a "favorite shop" collector, and I love to go back and visit favorite shops when I have a gift to give or a crafty idea that needs a little more inspiration or direction.

My favorite term lately has been "pine cone".  Just ask Brittany (and most of my Twitter friends!)  It's been fun though.  I've found some great items.

- For Strange Women is featured on the front page today, and I laughed when I saw that their featured item is Pine Cone Lip Balm!  Destiny, I think.  Her shop also features some other wonderful woodland inspired items, such as this Cabin Fever Botanical Candle, Lichen Bath Salts, and Moss and Ivy Perfume Oil.  Her products are made with lots of love, and beautiful packaging.

- Darling Press is run by a couple based out of Portland, Oregon.  Their focus is on creating beautiful work while keeping their environmental impact to a minimum.  Their Pine Cone Card is what caught my eye at first, but their Happy Birthday Monsters Card made me laugh, and their Variety Pack is a fantastic deal.

- I'm a sucker for hand thrown pottery, and combined with imagery from old children's books, nature photographs, and her own back yard- the work from Just Mare makes me want to throw out all of my kitchenwares and start new.  Shown above is the Bradshaw Meadow Lidded Jar.  The Pine Cone Mug,  darling Nesting Spice Bowls, Just a Pretty Little Bowl, and Wild Rose Vessel are all equally as charming.

- Banoo sucked me in right off the bat with her bio: "As a student of Natural Resource Conservation I draw most of my inspiration from the natural beauty of the landscapes that surround me. Committed to conservation and sustainability I strive to integrate reused, recycled or reclaimed elements into my pieces without compromising style, quality or function."  Her pieces are simple, yet beautifully made.  Above is the Pine Cone Motif Wool Felt Wallet.  Some of my other favorites of hers are the Alder Cone Motif Wallet, sweet little Floral Bobby Pins, and Cute as a Button Pouch. 


What's your favorite way to search for treasures on Etsy?

Discovery Park; Blackberries, Nettles & Snails

We went on a short hike and picked blackberries at Discovery Park on Wednesday night.  I about fell down the hill when I saw this little dude cruising along.  I love snails.  It's unhealthy how much.  They don't seem to have much interest in me, however.

Hi buddy!  Matao was not amused.

He was in a bit more of a hurry than I was, as he wanted to get down to the beach before the sun set.  What a mush.

All in all- a great little hike.  It's short and sweet, and for being so smack-dab in the middle of Seattle- it feels fantastically far away.  We picked two yogurt containers full of blackberries and I walked through a bunch of nettles wearing Teva's.  Perfection!

Gorgeous and Affecting

I love this so much.  How To Be Alone:

Flying Cats

I know!  All I've been posting lately are pictures- but I can't stop laughing at this!  I stood on a chair to get this angle- and the little rascal totally hammed it up for me. 

Photo collage created via Picnik.  Thanks Becca!

Summer Love

U-pick flowers, mint, and lavender in Sequim, WA.

Farmers market green tomatoes, hand picked mint, blue cheese. 
It all went into a green tomato pie!