flowchart goodness

from here via here

I can't get enough

of this look.

copenhagen street style

picture from the Durham family's first legit concert in September 2009. Taken by Jedediah Berry

I have been away from this blog and a majority of the blog world for the past two months and I must admit, it's been rather nice. Facebook, myspace (anyone? I think my last comment was from 2008), twitter, blogs, and picture sites like Flikr are great and have their purpose but I was feeling way too connected. Whether it was playing music with Gabe or learning to take better pictures with my camera, I constantly felt like I should be documenting it and sharing those experiences with this blog and that became a burden. But now, two months have passed and I feel balanced and excited and in love and ready to blog. So, hello, hi. Don't be a stranger, all ya'll make sure to stop on back by here. (Apparently I'm missing my Tennessee home and family.) (Isn't all ya'll so awesomely fun and repetitive?)

Mom, please ignore my slouched shoulders... I know, i know, HOLD THEM BACK.

Tomorrow starts the Summer Social art+craft online sale. I am currently eying these two pretties.

peony print by Amy Nieto and yellow wheat cards by postal press.

When summer first started, I expected lazy, slow days, but so far, it has been anything but. I am going to Maine to be with one of favorites, A.J., and I can hardly wait. A best friend and 5 days of reading, exploring, walking, music, and friends sounds so good right now. I hope you enjoy your weekend, I know I will! Oh, I can't forget to mention my adorable cousin Piper and her awesome cat naming skills. Lily Sparkles (or sometimes Caroline Smith), welcome to the family.

print found here

Cafe!

from Jean Luc Godard's Bande à part. There were 12 of us or so, a giant screen and orange slices. Some caught on rather fast, others at a slower pace, but everyone had their own unique style. As the actor says before the dance, so is our motto, "Empires crumble, republics founder and fools survive."

i'm back!

(Picture taken at our wedding two years and tens ago)

Life has finally calmed down and I am excited to get back into blogging. I started a new job, had family visit, helped Gabe's sister and brother-in-law move into their new Boston home (so excited for family living in driving distance from me and Gabe), and worked nonstop while transitioning jobs. Gabe, of course, was a peach throughout these few weeks, making all the meals, doing the dishes, and generally being great.

Check out this gem of a desk/serving table we found this morning at our favorite vintage furniture store. I am in love and so happy Gabe liked it too.

I also bought this little guy because I couldn't resist.

P.S. Gabe has a new story published online. Read it here.

i love how the lace looks like it is crawling up the purse.

found here

I made the mistake of showing this picture to Gabe. Now it seems I might have to attempt to make the damn thing.

image found here

My desire to learn how to sew has been rekindled since reading the archives of the talented Katie. She sews beautiful clothing for her two daughters and herself. I have gotten tons of inspiration from her photos. Thanks, Katie!

adorable photos and children by her

one of my favorite songs.

by one of my favorite performers. at one of my favorite places in los angeles.

Noble Youth

I'm more a dress less of a skirt gal, but if I owned these Noble Youth skirts, I would surely wear them all the time. Oh, and that dress. Um, the striped suit too.

Forget the kids

I want this party for my next birthday. Merrilee created a beautiful Neverland themed party for her son's birthday. It has just enough whimsy and keeps that cool minimal feel. Just the right color palette too. And who doesn't like a line up of adorable costumed kids?

photos here

When Gabe and I find a food or recipe we like that is as healthful as it is tasty, we can get carried away with how often we make it. Bonus points if our amateur culinary skills can produce said food or recipe like a pro. This summer I predict our diet will consist of daily fruit smoothies from natural yogurt and frozen blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, and bananas, fresh pesto to mix with pasta and on breads, edamame for an afternoon snack, and homemade whole wheat pizza with fresh veggies and more pesto. If only we had a porch to sit on and enjoy these delicious foods...

picture found here and here

Onward and Upward

Last week I surprised Gabe with a thin package in the mail. I decided we could use a motto for 2009 to bring us positivity and motivation when things go awry. I thought this print by seesaw designs was perfect. We hung our new motto in the living room and so far it is doing its job. Here's to reaching new heights.

photo here

Museums and dinner parties, two beautiful things

Gabe and I spent the first day of his spring break at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams. We mainly went for the Sol LeWitt exhibit and we were not disappointed. The next Saturday, I threw a dinner party for my favorite husband, Pinch ladies, and mandolin player. We had a wonderful night of chicken pesto sandwiches, wine, yummy cake, and music. Three of my favorite things: friends, good food, and singalongs!

I am ready for summer so I can watch

this.
Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze. I'm excited!

and this.

Cute, elderly man and chubby boy scout. I'm excited!

Fourteen Hills

Gabe was recently published in the latest issue of Fourteen Hills. The cover is beautiful and the center of the magazine has full-color art work. You can read other stories by Gabe here.

March is a fickle B.

Every time I have something of note to blog about, I become busy or uninspired or cranky. I think it's because I'm so mad at March. March is a mean bully. She comes and gives us a couple of beautiful sunny days only to take them away in exchange for (more) snow, rain, and ugliness. And the worst part? Who knows if she'll decide to grace our presence with sunshine again. I blame my lack of blogging on March. And the economy, March ruined that too. Also, my favorite vest I lost two years ago. March again. You suck.

there, i feel better. somewhat.

photo here

New Zealand textile artist, Leanne Culy, has me completely smitten and ready for spring.  You can see more of her fabrics and other work here.

How I long to be in a beautifully decorated RV by the sea reading and enjoying the quiet sunshine.

I have been sick since Sunday with strep throat. Due to insurance complications and President's Day, I couldn't receive the good drugs until yesterday. I should be feeling fine and dandy by tomorrow. Poor Gabe spent his 25th birthday on the phone with insurance agencies, UMass, and going back and forth from the kitchen to the bedroom with tea for me. He is great. We will celebrate his birthday this weekend with our friends and Monday night just the two of us.

After I awoke this morning and had my tea I read an email from my best friend A.J. who lives in California. The last line read "I hope you are well and warm and inspired by things around you." I like that. She is simply the best friend a girl could ask for and I love her. I have so many great people in my life. I should be more thankful.

I hope you all are well and warm and inspired by things around you.

photo by the lovely permanent vacation

Be my valentine

As a rule Gabe and I don't really celebrate silly corporate holidays, but over the past year I've found a soft spot in my heart for Valentine's Day. The pink and red, whimsy, romance, chocolate, and wine have all gotten to me. We still make it a point to not really spend money, but a homemade valentine card, romantic dinner, and adoring dreamy prints like these (by Samantha Hahn) never hurt anyone.

prints found here

Prints I love and want to hang on my bare walls.

find them here here and here

My friend Jeannie

is cooler than Natalie Portman. Jeannie writes poems. She is in the MFA program with Gabe at UMass. Here is an example. Here are others.

Natalie Portman is smarter than I
She has a mole on her left cheek
I have a mole on my left cheek
They are called beauty marks
and we both have them
She is in movies. I saw
Mel Gibson getting into a car
across from the Post Office
She doesn't love my cat
the way I love my cat and
she doesn't know my middle name
I don't know hers but I could easily find it
Natalie Portman speaks five languages
That's not me
I don't know how she feels about Starbucks
but when I'm out of town
sometimes I patronize Starbucks

Current Etsy loves

These mugs and bowls by CircaCeramics and this bag by Commondecency.

We've all been following the Sartorialist for awhile now, and no one can deny Garance Doré captures the best Parisian street photos, but fashion blog Jak & Jil has become my new favorite. I can not get enough of Vogue's Taylor Tomasi and Emmanuelle Alt's style.

images found here

I choose you and you and you.

Oh, Thread Social, you get me like none other.

Barack Obama rides a Unicorn

This shirt is a shirt people are buying.  I just don't know what to think. I think I love it?

think you love it? get it here

I couldn't love this photo more.

~found here~

Belleville Rendezvous

Gabe and I watched the 2003 animated French film, Les Triplettes de Belleville, the other day and loved it. The little to no dialogue in the movie goes unnoticed because the characters are so detailed and entertaining. The film revolves around a grandmother, who, after learning her grandson is kidnapped while competing in the Tour de France, teams up with an old sister act - The Belleville Triplets - to rescue him. The music is so fun and the animation is beautiful.

Dreams of Flying

This adorable couple's save the date cards were inspired by Jan Von Hollenben's Dreams of Flying series. Their photographer did an awesome job. Thanks, Smitten and Jo for another great find!

~images here~

Last Sunday we unpacked our bags, restocked our fridge, turned on our heat and we were ready to get back into our lives in Northampton. And then I got sick. Ugh, I have been out of it the past week but I survived and am ready for the new year to officially begin. Now I can show you beautiful pillows on Etsy with genuine excitement. Happy new year and presidency to you!

~found here~

And it goes

Happy Holidays! As I type this I have clothes, suitcases, and presents surrounding me begging me to organize them so they can jet off to Los Angeles on Wednesday! That's right, Gabe and I are off for two (!) weeks to be with our loved ones, first in California then in Tennessee. I doubt much blogging will happen considering all the hanging out, guitar playing, food consuming, and napping I will be doing on this break. I hope everyone has had their share of Vera Ellen and Danny Kaye this holiday season. I know I have!

A special thank you to Pia for this beautiuful post. I could listen for years..

I couldn't agree more.

found here

My sister visited me and Gabe a few weeks ago and along with good food, fun shopping trips, and a movie a day, she took some sweet pictures of us. Here are a few favorites of mine. I don't know about you, but I say Gabe is hot!

Ann did not like any of the pictures with her in them, so I'll show you this gorgeous picture from her wedding day last year. (Like everyday) she was (is) so beautiful!

Ok, enough silly pictures of me and mine. Check out some funny pictures from friends Lauren and Patrick's impromptu photo shoot of "Patrick's Training Regimen." What exactly he is training for...um, not sure!

"power stance"

and reverse imaginary jump rope!

Thanks Lauren for sharing and Patrick for the laughs!

I wish presents

While online Christmas shopping for my family and friends (let's be honest, friends, you'd be lucky to get a stick of gum from Gabe and I this year. We're broke!) so while shopping for my family I stumbled upon some adorable I wish presents. 'I wish' presents being gifts I wish I could give if only I had the right person or occasion in mind (or extra money!). But for now I am happy as a peach window shopping online and sipping my tea. Tomorrow I will go to my favorite thrift stores and hope to pick up a few gems!

Guinea Hen Feather ribbon
Silk-screen print of lovebirds

Popmat Paper Placemat (holiday edition)

Whale of a Tale rubber stamp

New parent pillowcases

A is for Alligator woodblock print
~ gift inspiration found on the pages of her blog~

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Along with your food, friends, and family, I hope you enjoy this video made by my dear friends Tim and Melissa McGorty. I miss Melissa since she went off to art school in Detroit. Come back! I want to sing with you.

Crossing

Rad! Rad!

It's no secret I adore Alyson Fox's artwork but after seeing pictures from her recent wedding I adore her just as much! When explaining her dress she says, "The dress on the bottom is made from an emergency jump parachute from world war 2 that I got off e-bay years ago. I was drawn to the lovely pattern in the silk ( they were all silk back then) and all the industrial seams and strings. The top of it is made from sections of a vintage kimono from the 40’s. It has lovely little sketches of birds and bunnies scattered on it." WHO does that?! Wow. (in my most adolescent day dreaming voice) Alyson, you are soo cool!


~images by her found here~

Boo!!

Joanna already posted an adorable video of precious Capucine but I couldn't resist this video!

Capucine meets Alex from Capucha on Vimeo.

More beautiful art by Katherine Campbell. Such lovely pieces to look at soon after I've woken up from dreamland.

Oh, yeah, we elected another president last night (!!!!!!). Barack Obama is America's 44th president and our 1st African-American president. McCain gave such a kind speech, I can't imagine what he must be feeling right now. Both Obama and McCain looked tired; Obama was calm and feeling the impact of the moment and what's to come for him and his family. I feel so fortunate to have witnessed something so historic in my lifetime.

Last week my uncle died. I was sad and feeling horrible about not being in Tennessee with my family. Gabe helped to cheer me up by setting up a living room fort (that we slept in for two nights) making pumpkin bread and watching ridiculous South Park episodes with me.

This past Sunday Gabe and I had our first cooking lesson with Joyce, my dear friend and co-worker. Joyce is a therapist, artist and grandmother to the adorable Jasper. She taught us, fed us, and even let us take home fresh vegetables from her garden. We made our own pesto sauce, pasta with a sauteed mushroom sauce and salad dressing. We had fresh greens, basil, parsley, mushrooms from Italy and good wine. She indulged us as we played music for her at the end of the evening. Thank you, Joyce! I love spending time with you and hearing stories of your past lives in Mexico and Venice Beach. I could listen to your stories all day!

Gabe's step-mother, Nancy, will be in town this weekend and my seester will be here in two weeks!!

Perfection to me is...

I've read a lot about Sixx Design, husband and wife duo Robert and Cortney Novogratz (parents to sixx children), and all their wonderful projects and renovations. This house has been blogged about often and with good reason, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. I was re-introduced to the home when recently reading old posts from a favorite blog of mine. Since then I can't get those yellow shutters out of my mind. I won't be a gushing fool (if I'm not one already) so I will let these pictures speak for themselves. Also, check out their website and gorgeous family. Gabe, let's start saving.

~images via~

I love blogging at night, sipping tea, and having Gabe next to me playing The National, Damien Jurado, and The Magnetic Fields.

Thanks Joy for showing me my favorite Project Runway designer's etsy shop. Of course everything has sold and from now on it will all be too expensive, but I don't care, I love Leanne! I also love Joy's blog and design studio...wow.

My lack of posting is down right embarrassing. I would beg for your forgiveness and promise to not let you down again, but that would be a lie. But alas, inspiration has returned to me and I have confidence my blog will be bountiful once again.

Speaking of bounty, I attended the Granville Harvest Festival this past weekend with Gabe and our friends to perform music for all the wonderful festival goers. We set up camp outside the McGorty's barn and played and sang our little hearts out. I will post pictures soon.

My adorable friend, Katharine, wrote an adorable post about an adorable baby she baby sat all weekend long so the adorable baby's crafty mom could show her work at the Paradise City Arts Festival.

Rachel B. Glaser is another adorable friend. She writes beautiful words. to feel feminine is to feel cursive handwriting.

Check out these beautiful photos on the New York Times website. The images are from Everett W. Kuntz's book, Sunday Afternoon on the Porch: Reflections of a Small Town in Iowa, 1939-1942.



A..

Oh yeah...

Happy Fall!

Fall?! Already? That is absurd. Regardless of its abrupt entrance I am looking forward to pulling out our big down comforter and snuggling in bed with books, magazines, and peppermint tea.


~images found here and here~

My new friend Moroni

Thanks to an old Barnes and Noble gift card I found laying (right, Gabe? laying? lying?) around, I was able to pick up Lotta Jansdotter's book "Lotta Prints". It's all about surface design projects ranging from super easy (place stamp on ink pad. place inked stamp on fabric) to the more detailed (photo-emulsion method). The entire book is beautiful and minimal and right down my alley. Of course Lena Corwin's "Printing by Hand" was tempting but I must save those can-buy-anywhere-and-not-just-online-at-esty gifts for my mother to buy at Christmas. You're welcome, Mom!

And in other news Gabe is being published by 14 Hills of San Fransisco. Woohoo!

Now onto my post's title. Don't know who Moroni is? I didn't either 5 days ago, but now I have an addiction to all things LDS! No, it's not converting I'm after (my CoC is treating me just fine), but, I can't stop reading/watching/devouring Mormon blogs/news articles/journal articles/PBS specials/anything remotely tied to Mormonism. I'm even using their lingo. Take tonight for instance, Gabe and I enjoyed FHE. Brigham Young accompanied me to the grocery store last night in my dream (actually I just ran into him). And (not so?) surprisingly, after reading this for the 18th time, I might have it memorized.

It's like I'm writing the thesis I never wrote my senior year of college. So, damn you Mormons and your distinct practices, tumultuous history, attractive (what?) bishops and intriguing family lives that make me do things like watch Southpark the Mormon episode (um..twice) and a 28-hour long Frontline special! I've always been a student of world religions (no, I don't count Southpark as appropriate research), and the LDS church has definitely captivated my attention.

I will return now to my sweet husband who is in the other room hoping his wife doesn't ask him to reenact the First Vision again.

I would like to live on the border of France and Switzerland and scour the various brocante markets for vintage materials to make homemade goodies.

I love everything in this picture. Dresser, lamp, clock, mirror. I also love that its the same dresser her two older sisters would use to write boyfriend's phone numbers on and and wacky artworks. Beautiful job! Tanya makes other beautiful things like these...

See these pictures and the rest of her creative goodies here.

Five minutes after posting...

...I found my camera cord! Here's more sweetness from CD Release Party 2008!

Because I can't find the chord to my camera...

... I'm posting a few of Tim McGorty's pictures from Melissa's cd release party last month.

Thanks, Tim! A definite highlight for me was singing "Orphan Girl" with Melissa. So much fun!

So, my "be back soon" post from the July turned into "where the hell did August go"....but, my friends, it's a new dawn, a new day, and September is starting off fresh! For me, August was spent in Tennessee at Diorama-rama, listening to MEEMAW (so good), catching up with dear friends (Stewart, Michael, David, Lex, Jared, Katie), and watching my adorable Piper at cheer camp. Back in Massachusetts, Gabe and I attended Melissa's cd release party/going away party, she even let us play a few as well as sing with her, I will miss that/her so much. Gabe hosted another successful Gather 'Round Children Variety Night, we stayed with Jacob for a week, a lovely if not overly clingy yellow lab dog, Gabe took a nyc trip to lit land with Mike, and we had wonderful friends stay in our home as well.
September is here and whining for my attention, so I must recognize summer is over and autumn is on its way. With the fall comes lots, lots of work, internships for Gabe and me, and hopefully bundles of blankets, apple picking, glorious late night walks, estate sales, and sipping hot tea in bed while watching old movies. I hope I am able to fully enjoy the beauty that is a New England autumn without the constant anticipation/dread for the long winter ahead.