soggy halloween

i don't know what happened but i used to get so much more excited about halloween- evidence below:


this was way back in 2003, but it was one of my favorite costumes ever.

this halloween i just want to get all cozy, watch scary movies and bake. maybe because it will be raining in SF? maybe i'll make these yummy looking acorn cookies from heidi at my paper crane:


or these sweet looking owls from handmade detroit:



whatever you find yourself doing have a fun one!

here i am

i wish i could tell you i was on vacation or something.. but i wasn't. i've just had a lot going on. i hate excuses too, but sometimes life takes precedence over blogging. i'm still catching up with my google reader and there's lots of big decisions hanging in the air that i'll let you know about if any of them come to fruition.

i love this Tree Cozy project by Carol Hummel which i saw first over at Hello Bauldoff. i want to crawl up in it!

little corner of the world.

if you haven't visited kayte terry's wonderful blog you should do so now. she recently posted this lovely little video one of her readers created, it's the sweetest thing ever and perfect for cheering up on a monday..



this video was created by Jennie Donahue.

Care Bears for Grown-Ups

what i'm realizing is that i can get by just fine without a camera these days. i always seem to be with someone who has one on their person. it works out nicely this way, my bag is lighter and i can just ask "hey can you take a picture of that and email it to me?" and i'm usually around such nice good people that they're more than happy to. i asked chris to take this picture on the way back from molly's studio tonight. i liked this adult version of these Care Bears cheering up mission street with their heavy boots. you can see that someone tried to rip one of them off the wall which is what i often do when i see paper street art i like - but i noticed these guys weren't easily coming off so i'm glad chris was there with her fancy phone to take a picture for me.

i needed it!

i have no business buying anything these days and have put myself on a pretty tight budget... but when i saw this over at one of my favorite blogs my love for you, i kind of just had to have it. someone was throwing around the expression 'unnecessary essentials' here at work the other day and i think this wallet falls into that category. i do not need a new wallet, but i fell in love with everything about this one-- the horse, snowflakes, that kiss, and of course the story i probably also wrote when i was 6.


the wallet is a series from a collaboration with poketo and 826LA and you can read more about it here.

new orleans again

i think i told you that right before i left for new orleans my camera died. beyond repair, my trusty little powershot gave out after 4 solid years of use. since i was traveling with so many people i knew at least a few would have their cameras with them and i am so very grateful for that. among many things on this trip i learned that isaac is a great photographer and i was so happy he was there shooting away at all the lovely things my camerless self wasn't able to capture. i'm certain his photos are a zillion times more beautiful than mine ever would have been. check out more of his great photos here.

politics in the morning

love these .. seen via swiss miss.


available for purchase here.

Nikki McClure show in SF tonight

If you're in SF tonight drop by Needles & Pens for the Nikki McClure opening Vote for Survival. The show is from 6-9pm.


I've long been a fan of this Olympia based artist and her book Collect Raindrops makes one of the best gifts ever if you ask me.

quilt for Obama

In a moment of deep cynicism last night I told someone I don't think it will matter who gets elected into office. I take it back.


Beloved quilter and designer Denyse Schmidt has designed and made this awesome quilt that will be raffled off to raise funds for the Obama/Biden campaign. You can buy tickets here.

is it monday?

it was kind of hard to be still and in my seat all day at work. it's been a while since i've been here. one of my co-workers sent that image above which made it better. and charles sent me a link to an article on this new google tool that helps prevent drunk emailing. dear god where was that when i needed it? and can i also get it installed on my phone?

home again ...

..to my very happy cat and the perfect san francisco weather. i had such a fantastic trip that was capped off spending the last two days with a very good old friend who has been living in new orleans for almost two years. it was great to see the city through his eyes and awesome to visit with someone so familiar in such a different place. i can't believe it's back to the grind tomorrow i wish i could hit pause for a while.

home cooked

tonight we went to the home of some editors from the New Orleans Times-Picayune for a dinner party. we'll be publishing a cookbook with the Times-Picayune out this fall called 'Cooking up a Storm' which is full of classic new orleans recipes. there home was wonderful, they were so genuinely welcoming and kind, and the food was amazing.

the menu:
cheese spread and mini Natchidoches meat pies
salad with Bon Ton's salad dressing
marinated green beans
a brown and a red jambalaya (one w/seafood & tomatoes & ham, one w/chicken & sausage)
Hummingbird cake and frozen Creole cream cheese. and pralines.

it was delicious and the back drop of their beautiful home and backyard made it one of the best meals i've had in a long while.

lovely city....

day five in new orleans and i am absolutely loving everything about this place. there is so much history and soul here, the air feels dense with the spirits of people who lived here and passed and loved it so much they never wanted to leave. the architecture in the french quarter is lovely and quite a contrast to a lot of the parishes that got hit by Katrina.


it has been so much fun doing construction, using power tools, and building. my body is sore at the end of each day and i feel such an accomplishment like none i've ever felt sitting in front of the computer and moving around papers. maybe i'll run away and build houses with habitat. probably won't happen but it's tempting.


this is an the old court house in st.bernard parish that was used as a morgue after katrina hit.


i love power tools!