Sorry, it's just not possible

I've been reading a lot of buzz about glassbaby votives lately. The design blogosphere seems to be swooning hardcore for these cute little colorful bits of glass. That's nice. But sorry. I just can't bring myself to spend $40 on an itty bitty votive.

Not gonna happen. I guess my priorities are just in other places...

House tag

I found this nice little blank tag on my way to work and decided it needed a drawing.

Fremont Solstice Parade

Yesterday we went to our very first Solstice Parade in Fremont! Hooray! It was certainly a celebration of the human spirit. So many beautiful, fun people letting it loose to welcome summer to cloudy ole' Seattle. I managed to get incredibly sunburned in spite of the clouds. So it's official - my flesh is burned, I whipped up some incredible fruit salad, and we welcomed it all in with a fabulous parade. And now some pics. Warning: I tried to make these family-friendly, but if you don't like naked painted ladies on bikes, you should probably stop reading.

Scenes from the bus

I have a love/hate relationship with the bus here in Seattle. On one hand, I love the convenience and the relatively low cost, compared with taking the car. And I see the most interesting people, like the wonderful woman reading a book about raising chickens. She looked so earthy, so farm-girl strong. She carried a tote bag with broken handles repaired with duct tape. I would never repair with duct tape. I'd buy a new one. I envied her hair all twisted up in a bun, something I have never really been able to do because my hair is thin and short and weird and sucky.



But there's a dark side to the bus. I hate it when it's late (or just doesn't show up altogether). And the drivers who slam on the breaks every five seconds make me ill. And the crazies, oh the crazies. I can't really say that I hate all the weird people I see on or around the bus, but I do admit it's wearing on the nerves sometimes. But most of the times, it just makes me laugh. Like this guy:



I just kept walking...I was a good length behind him, and have no idea what could have been in his ass. He did step off to the side and investigate the offending, um, ass thing.

The last week has been uneventful, and I've been slacking on what was supposed to be a daily sketch project. But I did learn, courtesy of my new morning driver-turned-tour guide, that there is a difference between the Cascade Mountains to the east of Seattle, and the Olympics to the west: Apparently the Olympics rose from the sea bed, while the Cascades formed from volcanic activity. Needless to say, he is my favorite bus driver.

Thrifty market girl

I'm not one for a bare wall. And since we had no room to bring our old art collection when we moved to Seattle, I needed to start from scratch. I LOVE starting from scratch. So it all started when I decided to frame the thermostat with a little teal picture frame I had since high school (you can kinda see it to the far left in the pic above)...and from there, we started framing just about everything. Most frames were found at Goodwill for under a buck. And the fun stuff inside the frames comes mostly from the Fremont Market, my absolute favorite place to be on idle Sunday mornings. I dig it.

I'm in love with old printing blocks and flash cards.

This is my super find from today -- an old board with a lovely little label stuck to it.

Close-up of some cool brass numbers and the cute little label girl.

And then there's Goodwill. Oh Goodwill. How can I even start to tell you how much I love you? I've been on the prowl for vintage pyrex and fire king bowls.

Love that opalescent glaze.

And I just about died when I saw this wonderful owlie tea (or sake?) set. Oh how I adore owls. My old job at the birdwatching magazine will never leave me, I'm afraid.<

And perhaps the weirdest thing I found was an old framed prescription. It's hard to make out, but it says something about Lysol and a douche. I had to have it, especially for 99 cents.

Monday interview: Jamie Karoses

I'm going to try really hard to post artist interviews every once in a while. Here's the first! I chatted with artist Jamie Karoses, an incredibly talented young woman from my own home state of Wisconsin (she's a senior studying graphic design and printmaking at UW Stevens Point). I stumbled upon her flickr page after seeing her scholarship-winning work on Design*Sponge. So good to see some truly amazing talent coming from the Midwest. Image at left: monotype on fiber, ripped into strips, handwoven

All I can really say is that her art & design leaves me absolutely breathless. I love her use of muted colors and the tactile, soft feel of her hand bound books. (Gosh, I miss my old book making class with Leslie.) And if Jamie could come over and revamp my entire wardrobe, I'd have her do it in a heartbeat -- love her fashion designs! Thanks for participating, Jamie. You're a girl after my own heart.

What is your number one favorite material to work with?
cloth & found fibers

Who or what inspires you?
I am extremely fond of my sketchbooks. Currently, my favorite artists are Manon Gignoux, Monica Canileo, and Sabrina Ward Harrison; Much of what I create is connected to my lineage, specifically the women in my family. I am overwhelmingly inspired by the voices of the women in my family. I feel responsible for translating their words through stitching, weaving and printing. The works I create immerse themselves in feminine history and learn to tell a story of their own. I also find inspiration through camping trips, porch sitting, and discovering used treasures at rummage sales.

ode to growing older -- hand bound book encapsulating memories of growing up.

What is your favorite color palette to work with?
desaturated earth tones

Where do you see yourself in five years?
All I know is that I'm a faithful believer in interconnectedness. Although, I can't see myself in a specific situation five years from now, I know that everything I've been doing since 22 years ago, up until right this very moment will lead me directly where I need to be. Everything is connected.

Educational web-based/city-based game, Slap the Facts
on Historical Ludlow Massacre

If you could be any kind of animal, what would you be? Why?
:) I'd probably choose to be my dog Olive. She has a pretty awesome lifestyle & a stylish paisley bandana.

Quick! What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word, "blackberry?"
with vanilla ice cream.

skirt made from recycled materials

Ahh. Like a breath of fresh air. To learn more about Jamie and her art & design, check out her web site and flickr photo stream.

Window ledge

Here's what's sitting on my window ledge.



It's been a trying week. Let's hope the sun comes out and sets everything right again.