What were they thinking?

Introducing: It's lovely! I'll take it! AKA: My new favorite blog, sharing hideous real estate photographs that really make you wonder about...um...people. These photos are supposed to sell homes?





Oooh! Sign me up!


Thanks to shelterrific for the link.

Peas like Seattle

How does our garden grow? It grows...um...peas. Lots and lots of peas. And a few other things, but dang - the peas sure like it here. I sometimes wish I had hair like delicate pea tendrils. Wouldn't that be cool?



I feel like I have piles of stuff to do. Gocco supplies to purchase. A new window ledge arts website to design. New business cards to make. A mound of freshly made earrings to photograph. A trip back to Wisconsin to prepare for. Bandwagons to jump on, small empires to conquer, and beers to drink. Until then, you get peas. And how 'bout some begonias? That'll do.

Growing on me.

Many times over the years, I have been given gifts that I...uh...don't really care for. Many of them were given to me by my grandmother, who had an affinity for less than attractive jewelry and the Home Shopping Network. I condemned most of the dreadful things to boxes, hoping that some day I'd have the guts to sell them in a yard sale or pawn them off on Goodwill. But I recently realized that I now adore quite a few of the items that I had once hated...


This pretty amber necklace was given to me by my grandmother. She always "cleaned" out her jewelry box when I would visit as a kid. I don't wear it very often, but I rather like it.


I don't remember who gave this to me, but I remember being totally repulsed by it at first. Now I kinda have a thing for bees. And it's actually kinda cute.


My husband's grandma gave us this musical porcelain bluebird, and I laughed at it for awhile. But now it's rather charming. Except for when you wind it up and it plays a creepy tinkly version of "If I could teach the world to sing."


And then there's the jewel-encrusted locket. I enjoy lockets. And this one has a nice heavy vintagey feel. I hope it gets a nice patina with time.

Westlake Center

I could probably sit in the underground bus tunnel at Westlake Center all day long watching people go by, but only if someone were to bring me a salt bagel every now and then so I could keep my strength up.

Immediately after I finished this drawing, the girl on the bench took out a huge plaid blanket and wrapped herself up in it. Wish I could have drawn that.

I see this woman almost every day, and she fascinates me.

Gocco results, take 1

My first try with the new Gocco printer was a roaring success. I have a little tweaking to do, like making my lines darker and bolder and figuring out how to stop the ink from gooping up at the edges of each print. But other than that, it's super simple and WAY fun! Per your encouragement, I did a little run of 30 house tags. I think they'd be super cute attached to a housewarming gift. They might also make awesome "we've moved" postcards announcing a new address. Special thanks to my wonderful husband for snagging the tags for me at his last job. (Never mind that they say "Marble - do not drop" on the opposite side.)


The production studio, AKA the kitchen/living room. Note rubber nylabone to the right, a necessary tool for gocco printing.


All lined up to dry.




Inked up screen, ready for action.

And now the sad news: Apparently, the Gocco folks in Japan are not only discontinuing production of the Gocco printer, but they're also stopping production of supplies. Great. Just when I hop on the bandwagon. I know I'll be placing one helluva big supply order next payday, fer sure.

Dreaming of Gocco

Guess what's headed to my doorstep, as we speak?

I simply cannot wait. This has been on my list of things to get for about a year and a half now, and I figure I had better act soon before they're all gone. Now I really have a reason to print up some cutie house tags. Wish me luck...I tend to get frustrated with new toys and throw them across the room. No joke. Hopefully I've graduated from that phase, though :)