Geraniums and Potatoes

2010-09-08T19:01:00.005-05:00

Beautiful watches from Marianne Handcrafted Watch Studio.

2010-08-29T13:01:00.001-05:00

Pretty pretty. I really do need to learn to crochet.

[from Fine Little Day.]

2010-08-18T09:29:00.001-05:00

At the end of the 19th century, a woman named Agnes Richter was an inmate in a mental asylum in Austria. Before she was incarcerated she was a seamstress, and during her confinement she embroidered her hospital-issued uniform jacket with an elaborate text relating her life story. The text doesn't always follow a linear narrative and is often so densely embroidered that it's illegible.

I've been trying to find more about Agnes Richter online, but every site seems to have these same few bits and pieces. I feel like this jacket is just begging for a really great art historical essay.

[via enhabiten.]

2010-08-16T21:25:00.002-05:00

Those chairs! And with that wall color!

[via Little Green Notebook.]

2010-08-02T16:49:00.001-05:00

J. Morgan Puett.

[via all the mountains.]

2010-08-02T16:45:00.002-05:00

I love a perfectly over-decorated room. And that chinoiserie wallpaper with the wool blanket and tiny vintage quilt covered trundle! I wish I lived in that room. Loretta would sleep in the trundle and Klausie would have an even tinier trundle that would pull out from that.

[via Little Green Notebook.]

2010-07-22T12:01:00.000-05:00

Probably the best cake.

[via Oh Happy Day!]

2010-07-21T13:58:00.000-05:00

The colors in this room are just perfect. If only I had a few more rooms in my apartment to decorate.

[via Design*Sponge.]

2010-07-20T14:54:00.000-05:00

Loving these spotty photos from Sebastiaan Bremer. They make me want to splat paint all over all my old photos.

[via SeeSaw Designs.]

2010-07-19T22:03:00.005-05:00

If I had $1,600...

Wooden Upholstered Sofa with Bridal Rug from Wisteria.

[via Design*Sponge.]

The blog is back!

2010-07-19T21:43:00.004-05:00

So we got Loretta much earlier than expected (as it suddenly became necessary to thwart my mother's attempt to steal her) and things got a bit crazy shortly after that last post and her arrival. John graduated from his MFA program at MCAD, had an amazing show at the Bell Museum of Natural History, we moved to a big and wonderful new apartment, and have generally been scrambling trying to keep up with our lives lately. There are a few more big changes coming up yet (which I'll write about soon) but things are looking a bit more established now.

Having finished the summer of scrambling, I'm hoping to get back to posting here again. Until then, here are a few photos of Loretta from this weekend's corgi beach party.

LORETTA!!!

2010-03-18T18:55:00.003-05:00

This is Loretta, she's a one year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi and she's coming to live with us soon! I'm fulfilling a major life goal by adopting a dog!

Loretta is a teeny teeny bebe, only half the size of an average corgi. She's a Colorado dog right now, but we can't wait to bring her here. Look at those cute dogfeet!!

2010-02-24T16:24:00.003-06:00

Target is coming out with new lines of products featuring prints by Liberty of London next month! There will be clothing (what I've seen isn't really my thing though, aside from some great men's ties) and some really fabulous looking housewares. I want some of the bedding especially; plus those storage boxes, teacups and canisters are totally lovely. I'm guessing everything will sell out super fast, but maybe I can get my hands on a couple of things. I'm a bit ashamed at how excited I feel about this, but I feel like my raging consumerism is justified by the beauty of Liberty patterns. That piggy bank, though? Ugh.

The pictures look fantastic, so I hope the quality is decent. I wish the dishes weren't melamine, although I think the canisters, teapots and maybe the teacups are actually ceramic. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the fabric quality is good, because I'll be snatching up a bedspread for sure if it is. I splurged on some real Liberty Tana Lawn when I visited friends in London a couple of years ago, but it was kind of painful. Being able to get those patterns at a cheaper price point is so so so awesome, even though they won't be the super luxury goods you'd get at the actual Liberty department store.

2010-02-24T14:26:00.001-06:00

This kitchen is a dream. All those dishes stacked floor to ceiling.

2010-02-17T16:17:00.001-06:00

This home is so so amazing. I love all those patterns on top of patterns and all the green.

[Apartment Therapy.]

2010-02-09T15:30:00.002-06:00

I already pre-ordered my copy of Joanna Newsom's new album, Have One on Me, sight unseen and sound unheard because she can pretty much do no wrong in my book. Or at least certainly hasn't so far.

Now a couple of songs have been released for preview! A bit different than the past, but definitely still promising. I'm excited to get the whole album (or really, three albums) soon. Listen--and watch some silly photo slideshows--below:

2010-02-08T22:01:00.002-06:00

I'm super into early 20th century tattooed ladies right now. I just bought the book Bodies of Subversion, which talks about tattooed women and female tattooists starting with Victorian circus ladies and going up through the 1980s and early 90s (although only the first two chapters or so--up to the 1950s--is of much interest to me). The pictures of the circus ladies are so so amazing. I just bought a print of the photo above for my apartment. That woman is like my new style icon.

2010-02-07T20:08:00.000-06:00

Tracciamenti.

[via Katy Elliott.]

2010-02-06T23:43:00.002-06:00

Are You Devo [Official]- Shelby Sifers from we heart arts on Vimeo.

The lovely Shelby Sifers has a single of her song "Are You Devo?" available on iTunes now, with all proceeds benefiting We Heart Arts, a nonprofit organization that works to raise funds for children's creative arts programs around the world.

I'm a big Shelby fan (as evidenced by the title of this blog) and I'm really excited to see a video for this song. Liking someone so much it's like you're listening to Devo is pretty perfect.

2010-02-06T13:00:00.000-06:00

I love Gunta Stolzl. Those Bauhaus ladies really had it.

[via Folk Object.]

2010-02-05T20:00:00.000-06:00

Selections from 100 Abandoned Homes.

I can't believe any of these sit empty. I'd move into any one of them right now.

[via Unruly Things.]

2010-02-04T14:00:00.000-06:00

Living in a trailer has never been a dream of mine, but if it was as cute as these (from Rolling Homes) I might be convinced to change my mind.

[via An Apple a Day.]

2010-02-03T15:00:00.000-06:00

Abandoned houses in Siberia.

[via enhabiten.]

2010-02-02T19:52:00.001-06:00

Weavings by Sheila Hicks.

[via a new favorite, an ambitious project collapsing.]

2009-12-08T08:54:00.000-06:00

Janfamily (a Danish art collective).

[via Windy Days.]

2009-12-07T08:50:00.000-06:00

Reclaimed wood installations by Henrique Oliveira.

[via Design*Sponge.]

2009-12-06T20:47:00.002-06:00

Maybe the best holiday decorations. All thrifted and vintage. Considering the giant stash of vintage crocheted potholders, lacy doilies, and random swaths of lace I've accumulated I'm pretty sure I could try something like this. Lots more great photos here.

[via SeeSaw Designs.]

2009-11-24T11:04:00.003-06:00

I ordered a couple of new prints recently. Pretty soon I'm going to have to start hanging everything salon style, floor to ceiling, in my apartment!

First is a special holiday print from Hello Handmade Paperie. I love Betsy Dunlap's calligraphy and the specimen chart style is great. Plus it's sort of holidayish without being super Christmassy. I like all-winter holiday decorations.

I also bought this Botanical Screenprint from Carson Ellis. I love her work so so much, but normally it would be way out of my price range. She has these posters in her shop now for only $20 though, so I couldn't resist getting one. It's pretty big (11" x 14", plus I framed it in a wide black frame) so I'm not sure where I'll squeeze it in yet.

I've got my eye on some Lizzy Stewart prints too. She always has such great little things. I love her illustrations of people because they always have pink circles watercolored over their cheeks and noses.

Looks like the Nissen-Bell print collection will continue to grow!

2009-10-21T11:00:00.001-05:00

I saw these invitations on Snippet & Ink and knew I'd seen those little illustrations somewhere before. They're from the endpapers of the beloved (by me anyway, and apparently at least a few other people) Junior Deluxe Editions children's books! John and I have actually talked about how these would make such great tattoos (John likes the caveman one especially).

Those great illustrations plus the lovely-as-always Betsy Dunlap calligraphy is just perfect. They used more of the illustrations as table numbers too!

2009-10-20T18:46:00.002-05:00

This is actually a photograph of an antique store in Sweden called Bebop, but I think all those wall-mounted lamps clustered together like that would be so great in someone's real-deal house. Of course, you'd have a giant tangle of cords to deal with and probably issues with blown fuses (and horrendous energy inefficiency), but minor electrocution is a small price to pay for good design, right?

[photo by Elisabeth Dunker for the Design*Sponge guest blog.]

2009-10-16T15:53:00.000-05:00

Pompom and tassel jewelry by Aleishall Girard Maxon (who is the granddaughter of Alexander Girard).

[via Bird and Banner.]

2009-10-15T15:49:00.001-05:00

Finnish artist/photographer Saku Soukka.

What is it about Finnish art and illustration?? I feel like every time I find someone new and wonderful they're always from Finland!

[via all the mountains.]

2009-10-14T15:47:00.000-05:00

Stylist Frank Visser.

[via Mieke Willems.]

2009-10-13T15:40:00.000-05:00

I always wanted an alcove bed...

I like this one's sparkly mirrors and hand-tied quilt.

[via Bird and Banner.]

2009-10-13T15:36:00.002-05:00

Check out this short interview with the super great Belgian textile artist Renilde Depeuter over on Fine Little Day.

2009-10-12T16:22:00.003-05:00

Maybe the cutest wedding ever. Mismatched plates! Handmade ribbon arbor! Circus tent! Plus the bride wore her mother's dress, which is super adorable.

In my fantasy life, people would pay me moneys to plan parties like this. I'd spend all my time making party crafts and designing menus and sourcing vintage linens and thinking up clever party favors.

In my fantasy life I also live in a pink farmhouse with a gingerbready porch by a cranberry bog, where I also run a free range pug safari and own a couple of spotted great danes. And my house always smells like homemade applesauce and never like wet dog.

[see more photos here. via {frolic!}]

2009-09-30T15:49:00.000-05:00

Gorgeous Russian Victorian folk houses. Built between 1870 and 1910, many have stayed in the same family ever since.

[photos by Tim Walker, post on Nibs found via Bird and Banner.]

2009-09-29T15:44:00.000-05:00

This spinning menu wheel project from Design*Sponge and Once Wed is such a great idea! It's intended for a wedding, but really could be perfect for any kind of dinner party. Next time I have enough guests to legitimate having a menu, I'm definitely making these!

2009-09-28T19:21:00.002-05:00

Crocheted necklaces from Wren Handmade

They remind me of the vintage crocheted potholders I hung up above my kitchen door, but teenier and, therefore, even cuter.

This would be a really lovely present for a fantastic girl whose birthday is coming up in October...

2009-09-28T19:11:00.003-05:00

John and I went to see Scout Niblett at the 7th Street Entry last Thursday. She was so great and had funny little performing mannerisms that made the show really charming. John and I liked her song "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death" the most probably, and today I found out that there's a Jens Lekman cover! I love Jens Lekman like basically more than anything other than people I actually know and my mouse. Since it's probably less than legal to post the mp3 here, I'll just link to Pitchfork where you can stream it for free.

So listen up!
Jens Lekman, "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death" [Scout Niblett cover]

It's cheerier than it sounds (sort of...)

2009-09-27T15:58:00.001-05:00

This baby pilot helmet might actually be the cutest thing ever.

2009-09-27T15:35:00.003-05:00

Bobbin Bicycles sells some pretty cute bikes and bike accessories.

I think this bike, which has decorative designs from Alexander Girard, is my favorite.

2009-09-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

Swedish (of course!) artist Lisa Jeannin's submarine. According to Lisa, "It does not travel by water neither by land but via drawings. The visitor was driven around in a dark room viewing 100 drawings through the periscope that had a light on it. The trip somewhat resembled a primitive animated film."

The piece itself sounds pretty charming, plus Lisa Jeannin looks like a total badass smoking in her submarine.

Photos by Sören Gérard.

[Lisa's blog.]

2009-09-21T14:38:00.001-05:00

There's a super cute Julia Rothman-illustrated recipe for blackberry pie on Design*Sponge, excerpted from the recently published cookbook Julia illustrated. See the full recipe and the rest of the illustrations here.

2009-09-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

I wish I had one of these stargazer globes! The tiny twinkly spots of light it casts are so pretty.

[from Unicorn Diaries.]

2009-09-17T15:16:00.000-05:00

Sculptures and installations by Kirsten Hassenfeld. [via all the mountains.]

2009-09-16T17:11:00.002-05:00

Shadow murals. [via SeeSaw Designs and Blanket Magazine.]

2009-09-15T19:08:00.002-05:00

Confetti System. [via Bird and Banner.]

2009-09-13T14:54:00.003-05:00

John and I had such a nice weekend!

We went to three art openings, had drinks and dessert at a really old school classy restaurant (even though it was classy they still had ice cream sundaes on the dessert menu, so it was basically perfect), and went out for pancakes with my dad. He couldn't stay long--he was driving my wrecked car back to Colorado to fix it up for my brother--but it was still really nice. Plus, blue corn pancakes are sooooo good. I'm looking for a good recipe online, so if I find one I'll post it here!

Then, on our walk back from downtown after dessert we saw a yellow lab running all over with none of her people! We couldn't just leave her out there loose, so we brought her home with us to try to get the police to come pick her up and take her to a shelter. No such luck, so she had to stay the night. Puppy sleepover! This morning we managed to find out her owner's contact information and he came over to pick her up. And invited us over to play football at eat spaghetti! It turned out that he lives about a block away from us, right behind the coffee job John goes to regularly! She was so sweet and lovely, and it was really fun to pretend at having a dog for the night. We're glad we could get her back home safely though.

Lastly (not leastly):
During our big art-night-out, I also found out about a really great upcoming event: the Art for Choice silent auction. They sell original works by local artists to fund reproductive and sexual health education and access programs. This year it will be held October 2 at the W Hotel in Minneapolis. I'm hoping to make it, since it's just the kind of fundraiser I can get behind. And I'd really like to see the work of a few more local artists. It could really only get better if there was a puppy hugging station.

2009-09-12T12:31:00.003-05:00

Sorry for any wonkiness on the blog today! Things might be showing up funny for a bit as I work on some administrative business.

Mostly I'm messing around with the template (and have basically no idea how to do HTML, so it's big fun) and that's causing lots of changes as I experiment.

But also I've been trying to change things so that my Blogger account is connecting to the Gmail account I use the most, so I had to do some weird administrative stuff to get it switched over. I'm trying to wrangle my various email accounts into some semblance of order, get rid of some that I don't use much, and migrate various accounts over to the main one. Basically a big blobby mess.

In other news, the doubleknot shop blog is now up and running. I posted photos of a couple of (not terribly successful) prototype projects over there.

2009-09-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

I want to work at the crayon factory!

2009-09-06T17:21:00.001-05:00

How the giant dents in the side of my car really happened.

2009-09-02T15:46:00.002-05:00

Library campout!

[Photo by Tim Walker. Snatched from here.]

2009-09-01T14:42:00.000-05:00

A circus performance by Alexander Calder.

[via Blow Your Horn Hunter!.]

2009-08-31T18:56:00.003-05:00

Another lovely animation by Jenni Rope. See more in an old post, here.

2009-08-31T18:40:00.001-05:00

I love the Thumb War prints that are back up on The Small Object. This one is my favorite. Maybe one will be making an appearance in my apartment soon...

2009-08-26T19:33:00.000-05:00

I have way way too many jackets already, but I love this little trench from Anthro. Those little shoulder ruffles are perfect.

2009-08-25T22:19:00.000-05:00

The next cake I bake is going to be covered in teeny pennants just like this one, from Scout Holiday. Besides having had a super cute wedding, Cheri has an Etsy shop with other nice pennanty things, like this necklace made with handpainted leather flags:

2009-08-25T14:30:00.000-05:00

I'm planning on making this cute bonnety hat as soon as it gets chilly enough to wear it. I have a great leafy foresty green that's slightly variegated and slightly thick and thin that I'm going to use. I'm thinking it will look cute with the camel tweed capelet I picked up at the thrift store recently. I'll probably do braids with little tassels at the ends instead of the garter stitch ribbons though.

Pauline, by Kristen Hanley Cardozo. The pattern is free, but you have to have a Ravelry account to download the pdf.

2009-08-24T18:52:00.002-05:00

New haircut + new glasses!

Please ignore the MySpaciness and moderate awkwardness of the photograph and note my newly bedheady haircut (cut by my very own self!) and cute granny glasses.

I bought a shaping razor from Sally Beauty (only $5!) and just hacked away until I had lots of choppy short layers, especially in the back, and made my bangs a little messier too. The razor made it really easy to avoid those awkward squared-off chunks that almost inevitably happen when you try to cut your own layers. Plus now my hair waves nicely if I air dry it and it actually looks better a little bit dirty, so I don't feel so bad when I skip washing my hair. I'm really happy with it, especially for a first try at self-haircutting!

2009-08-24T14:25:00.001-05:00

A bit sad I missed out on this handweaving from Fine Little Shop. Love those pompoms dangling off the bottom.

2009-08-23T22:13:00.002-05:00

John and I bought some plain white dishes at the thrift store this weekend and painted them with ceramic paint (I tried to force him to go to one of those Color Me Mine stores at first, but we felt a little lame, so we just headed over to Art Materials instead). I turned this little teacup into a pincushion following this tutorial from mmmcrafts. We did a bunch of plates and two mugs and a gigantic pepper shaker too, which I made John paint a witch on for me. It was actually really fun and the paint just bakes on in a regular oven. No idea how well it will wear yet, but even if it doesn't wear terribly well it was still a fun craft project for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

2009-08-23T22:10:00.002-05:00

I finally finished my Lovisa Armwarmers! They turned out really nice, although I didn't keep my stitches quite loose enough in the colorwork section. There's a little bit of puckering that could have been avoided with slightly looser stitches. Oh well, I'm still really happy with them!

2009-08-23T14:19:00.004-05:00

I'm really liking these Kate Spade outfits, snatched from Darling Dexter. Especially the sneaky cuteness of those black and white striped socks on the top left and those bright chartreuse tights on the bottom right. (Tip for cheapos like me: You can get tights almost just that color at Target right now for six bucks.) I'm also always a big fan of white tights--they always make me feel very Alice-y. Maybe I'll have to get a new pair.

2009-08-19T20:56:00.003-05:00

Check out this week's lovely article in the New York Times's "On Language" column. It's all about quirky and antiquated entries in the OED--like protodaw, which is defined as a "noodle of the first rank." You'll like it, I promise.

2009-08-19T20:52:00.002-05:00

Very cool appliqued totes by Cornelia O'Donovan.

2009-08-19T20:46:00.002-05:00

I found out about this great mail art project, Mysterious Letters, today on Design*Sponge. Lenka Clayton and Michael Crowe sent letters to every single one of the 467 households in a tiny town in Ireland. You can read all about it and see the letters on their blog. I think that one with the watch is my favorite!

2009-08-11T20:26:00.004-05:00

Another trailer for Where The Wild Things Are. I'm so excited for this movie! I'm really holding out hope that it will be wonderful.

Speaking of, I've seen some pretty great Wild Things tattoos online. (I've had tattoos on the brain lately.) Here are a couple I like especially:

2009-08-10T18:08:00.002-05:00

How cute is this couple! Nic Briand and Susien Chong own and design the clothing label Lover--as far as I know, they're fashion designers, not a band, despite the adorable tambourine action in this photograph. (See their home on the Selby).

I keep trying to convince John that we need to be one of those cute boy-girl twee bands (you know, like Mates of State or whatever). My latest idea is country-twee. I spent lots of this weekend watching Johnny and June Carter Cash and Dolly Parton videos on YouTube. John seems to think that our obvious lack of musical talent--my inability to carry a tune + the fact that neither of us plays any instruments--means there's some kind of problem with my plan. I figure, hey, we're cute; I can shake a tambourine; John can probably handle a thumb piano....what more could we need? We even once figured out how to play Shelby Sifers' "Blackberry" on the melodica!

For some (semi-real) adorable boy-girl twee, check out my good friends JTweeChasez!

2009-08-07T19:30:00.002-05:00

I just registered for a library science certificate program at the local community college! I'm thinking about an MLIS in the semi-distant future, so it seemed like a good way to get started and try out the field. Plus, on Monday I have a training session so I can start volunteering at the Textile Center of Minnesota's library. I'm hoping volunteering there includes lots of perusing of great craft books and artist monographs.

Apparently Batgirl was a librarian by day, so I think I'm following in good go-go-boot-clad footsteps.

2009-08-01T18:19:00.002-05:00

I finally got around to taking pictures of the apartment! See the rest of the photos on my Flickr.

2009-07-30T18:36:00.002-05:00

The Klaus portrait Sian Keegan made for us came today! He got lost in the post office for a few days, but John went to find him today. He's just perfect! Look at those perfectly matching spots! And, the best part: he has a fantastic little wired tail...

Buddies!

2009-07-26T11:40:00.001-05:00

I guess I can't be a Skate Witch, but John says I could probably be a really badass rollerskater.

2009-07-24T18:16:00.002-05:00

I'm so into braids right now. I can't wait for my hair to finally be long enough for twisty, messy, snail-trail braids! For a braid beehive! Heidi braids and braided crowns!

[photo via unruly things.]

2009-07-24T18:13:00.002-05:00

A gorgeous, handmade appliqued quilt.

[photo by Jek in the Box, quilt made by her grandmother and aunt.]

2009-07-18T12:56:00.001-05:00

This sweater is like something Sonia Delaunay would wear!

2009-07-18T12:33:00.002-05:00

There's so much great, handmade jewelry on Etsy! It makes me wish I could make something like that. It's not like sewing a little pillow or embroidering or any of the things I know how to do (though I don't do any of them particularly well). It takes so much training and skill and special know-how to handcraft jewelry.

I especially like Masaoms's work, with rough gemstones and hand fabricated silver. It's really unusual and natural and beautiful. Plus it's such fantastic craftsmanship....or, craftgirlship, I guess. That first ring is my absolute favorite.

You can read an interview with her and see a video of her working on a piece on the Storque.

2009-07-17T19:23:00.005-05:00

The Design*Sponge Before & After today was really amazing! The diy-er, Pilar, reupholstered old chairs with vintage suzanis and they came out totally spectacular and gorgeous. I love love love them.

2009-07-15T19:38:00.001-05:00

Doris Anne makes big giant super great feather earrings.

2009-07-15T19:34:00.003-05:00

Modern Press on 100 Layer Cake.

2009-07-15T19:10:00.002-05:00

I just added photos to lots of the projects on my Ravelry profile! I've got a couple of projects in the works right now too, so more will be coming soon.

2009-07-14T18:51:00.002-05:00

Klaus!

I am in love with this mouse.

2009-07-13T22:05:00.002-05:00

I ordered the Carson Ellis embroidery pattern packet from Sublime Stitching this week! Normally I'm not a big Sublime Stitching fan--their illustrations just aren't my style--but I'll pretty much go for anything Carson Ellis. I have a piece of lineny toweling that I'm going to hem for a table runner and add some embroidery to. Cute!

2009-07-11T13:00:00.002-05:00

Embroideries by Renilde Depeuter. [via ~>O<~.]

2009-07-08T18:49:00.002-05:00

A beautiful armoir and its teeny bebe.
[home of Ingrid of Darling Clementine. via Design*Sponge.]

2009-07-07T21:26:00.003-05:00

Cute guilt trips?

[via Design Dig.]

2009-07-07T21:22:00.002-05:00

Pendleton for Opening Ceremony.

These are THE MOST beautiful jackets. Like ever.

[via Lena Corwin.]

2009-07-06T21:23:00.004-05:00

Last week John and I went to First Thursdays at the Northrup King Building, where lots of artists have open studios/sales. We mostly went for a gallery opening, but I also went into a studio where Betty Jager makes jewelry under the name 3 Jag Custom Jewelry Design. Her work is all hand fabricated and one of a kind. I really love the textures of the metal and the mix of teeny colored diamonds. I'd really like to buy something of hers someday, but diamonds are (more than) a bit out of my price range right now. But now I have a job at least!

Lately I've been really into handcrafted jewelry. I really like that training for jewelry design is kind of old fashioned, with apprenticeships and everything. It makes me feel like handcraft is alive and well in a really intense way.

2009-07-06T20:02:00.003-05:00

Am I the only one who didn't know that J. Crew is selling Liberty print clothing? I love this dress! Too bad it will never go on super clearance since everyone on earth loves Liberty. They even have a Liberty wedding dress with fancy beading on the flowers. If I had an extra $1,200 laying around this is definitely what I'd spend it on!

2009-07-01T19:09:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I ordered one of those fantastic septembear lockets! It's not here yet, but I know it's going to be beautiful. I have a sort of shameful number of Etsy packages on the way to me right now. Mostly full of buttons and ribbon and little foresty bits like feather butterflies and tiny ceramic robins' eggs.

Yesterday was a good acquisitions day in non-Etsy ways too though! I also found a really fantastic antique mirror on the street when I was driving John home from the studio. It's big big big and kind of grand with a fancy shape and flutey bits at the top. It's a little gross right now (weirdly covered in packing tape for no apparent reason), but it's going to look so great in the apartment with a little elbow grease. I'm always hoping to find cool things on the street or by the dumpster behind the building since I live in a real city now, so this is keeping the hope alive.

2009-06-18T20:21:00.000-05:00

ceramics from gonetopottexas.

2009-06-18T20:05:00.003-05:00

I've been reading a biography of Edna St. Vincent Millay lately on the bus on the way to work and I'm really into it. People are always describing her as elfin. I wish I was elfin. I bought a little vintage black felt hat today that comes to a point--a sort of toned-down cone type shape--and has a bow at the back, at the nape of the neck, thinking specifically of being so. She also says funny things in letters all the time, like that the cold makes her noze "squizzle."

Anyway, this poem, "First Fig," was one of her big hits (can you call a poem that?), especially with the New Womany crowd, and it's still really delightful. Some website I was reading about her on described it as the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" of the 1920s, which I suppose isn't that far off probably, but seems a bit silly.

My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!

I like it a lot, so I think I'll hang on to it here, since mostly I use this blog to keep from losing things I stumble across and like.

2009-06-17T20:50:00.003-05:00

I just found the nicest little shop on Etsy. It's called Ermisino, and she sells lots of cute Japanese craft supplies at surprisingly cheap prices. Japanese crafty stuff is always so expensive! I bought this little set of gorgeous jade buttons along with some natural/unbleached cotton ricrac. She also has lots of lovely wooden buttons and linen ribbons and trims. I wish I had bought some of the embroidered linen trims too, but I'm really stocking up on ribbons--especially woven and embroidered ribbons--lately and really shouldn't get more until I use some of what I have.

If you're around the Twin Cities, there is a store called Ingbretsen's that sells all sorts of Scandinavian food and craft supplies (and tacky souveniers) that has fantastic woven ribbons for only a few bucks a yard. They also have super fancy wool woven ribbons, though those aren't super cheap. I'm feeling really into foresty folkloric things lately! Pom pom trim too!

2009-05-16T00:32:00.004-05:00

Life-size dollhouse by Heather Benning.

An abandoned house turned giant dollhouse with a plexi front.

2009-05-16T00:26:00.003-05:00

I just recovered an ugly old lampshade with a feedsack style print to go on a vintage milkglass lamp! I feel so DIY! I make things all the time, but for some reason this one seemed particularly satisfying. I think it was smoothing out all the little bubbles and creases to make the fabric lay perfectly with the spray adhesive. It turned out maybe a bit too shabby chic, but I think it will be great anyway.

I used this tutorial (though slightly simplified the steps) from Apartment Therapy and it worked like a charm.

So many home improvementy craft projects coming up! Painting and curtain making and all sorts of stuff! Moving into a new place is exciting in lots of ways, but the abundance of craft projects is definitely near the top of the list. The big move in day is Tuesday and I can't wait.

2009-05-11T20:27:00.001-05:00

Tree houses, sea houses, you houses, me houses.

2009-05-04T16:09:00.004-05:00

John has started painting the apartment! This is part of the bedroom, well on its way to loveliness. I'm headed up there this weekend for another interview and some serious wall painting. Once the whole apartment is done, I'll do a big Design Sponge style Sneak Peek.

2009-05-02T17:36:00.001-05:00

Ok, so maybe I'm going a bit nuts with the celebratory purchases, but I also just ordered this poster from Le Train Fantome/Elizabeth Dunker. I couldn't resist. I'm pretending it's a doll-portrait of me, which totally justifies it (even though it really doesn't look that much like me).

2009-05-02T17:08:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I won an award from the art history department, so today I celebrated by (finally!) buying some lovely things from Sian Keegan! A little fabric feather and a really funny patchworky scallion. Someday I'd especially like one of her dog portraits...I wonder if she'd do a little mouse-portrait of Klaus?

2009-05-01T21:14:00.003-05:00

I went to Minneapolis for a job interview this week and ended up picking out paint colors for the new apartment! I picked the same sorts of blues and pinks as in Blonde Redhead's apartment with greens and yellows for the bathroom. The kitchen will be a pale blushy pink and the bedroom and the living room will be a really pale gray blue.

The bedroom will be the same blue plus a darker blue gray on the lower part of the wall, like in this Martha Stewart photo. John has been hard at work today starting the painting work before I get there in a couple of weeks with all the furniture.

I've been working hard collecting and making all sorts of lovely new things for the apartment all year, so I'm so excited to move in and finally see everything put together. Finding a new place and planning everything has been really fun, but I'll be so glad to be settled in and decorated finally. Moving is a shocking amount of work!