M Y S E C R E T R E V E A L E D

My friend Ellie does a "what's in her bag" photo series. She asked me to participate, and when we met at a cafe on the evening we planned to do this, I had assumed we would take the pictures later at my place - so I didn't have time to edit what was actually in there. I suppose for authenticity reasons, this is a good thing - but now there's no denying that I had a partially eaten donut muffin (yes, donut muffin) in my bag.

Some of the stuff in there I feel is worth noting: old photos of my father, part of my postcard collection, the book I just recently finished, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, and little bits of paper tree bark that I am collecting with the intention of using for my next collage/watercolor/thingy. 

Side-note/follow up on yesterday: I was quoted in the Seattle Times. I said something about Obama's charisma and some other obvious comment. I am a little self conscious about it, I think I sound silly. I have been poking fun at myself all day. Okay, I'm not going to pretend I don't care at all. I mean, it is kind of cool. It's just too bad I couldn't think of something a little more intelligent to say!

H O P E A G A I N

(Terrible, terrible pictures! I was so nervous/giddy when I left my place this morning - I forgot the tickets and also my camera. Totally unforgivable!)

My friends and I were very spoiled today. We had the pleasure and very unique opportunity to see Obama speak at the Paramount in Seattle. We were given reserved seats in the front row of the balcony - I was directly in front of the President, maybe only 50 feet away. It was pretty incredible. Afterwards, I was interviewed by the Seattle Times. It will be exciting if that day is documented in the paper for all time and I am lucky enough to be in just a little part of it. Hopefully I didn't say something stupid. 

Such an exciting day and a wonderful memory! I would thank my friend who was the key to all of this if I could - but it will have to stay my/our little secret. 

W E E K O F W O N D E R

I am feeling a crazy mix of emotions right now, I'm not sure what to do with them all. I am elated about creating and doing so much last week. The show yesterday (thanks to all who came out!) was great, I felt so honored to be included in it. The space was beautiful, the music was awesome, the people were so kind - it was such a fun time. I fear I was acting like a jerk, though. I was so nervous and felt self-conscious and felt pretty vulnerable. I've never really displayed anything quite like that in a public setting (outside of the internet!) for people to form opinions about. I was able to calm down after many of my sweet, supportive and amazing friends showed up (and my wonderful father! What a guy!). I felt protected by the familiarity and comfort of their hugs and faces. I was able to emerge from inside their circle of love once I felt a little less crazy. 

It felt so amazing to be so creatively productive over the past seven days. I not only did all of this work for the show with Christine (gem of a woman!), but lent a hand/eye/camera for a project with the lovely Miss Ashley Helvey  last weekend, which was so much fun. I'm really looking forward to the possibility of working with her again. 

Now all of the excitement is dying down a bit, and I have the time to stop and realize that tomorrow I must return to real life. I have to face that I have only two days left with Kai, and to be perfectly honest, I don't think I'm emotionally prepared for it. I've had so much time to think about it and get ready for the day - but it's impossible to process all of these feelings at once. I'm also panicking a little bit about what to do at the end of this month. I suppose now is as good of a time as ever to confess that I am not prepared to move to New York - at all - and I'm not sure that I will follow through on that plan (I will touch on this more later, and explain some of the things that go hand-in-hand with that decision). There have been so many signs that I feel are telling me to stay put right now. Lots of creative opportunities -- but I still need to find a job. Eek.

I keep wishing I could hide in last week and never come out!

A G O O D S I G N

I just stumbled in the door after a long, long day. I've been on my feet since this morning, running around town and getting things ready for tomorrow's show. About half way through our to do list, Christine and I stopped for a bite & some rejuvenation (cofffeeeee!) while waiting for the printers to finish our pieces up. When I looked down into my mug, a big smile was beaming up at me. Christine and I both felt this was a good omen; tomorrow is going to be great! 

Everything is finished and I couldn't be more proud of what we produced together. All of the pieces are now hanging in the space (which is so beautiful!) and ready for their big debut. Although our work is certainly not the point of the show, I am still really looking forward to it and am so eager to see what people think.

S N E A K P E A K

Here's just one piece I made on my own so far for the show this weekend. I am really excited about how things are turning out. After being a bit stumped for a few days, Christine and I worked hard today and got a lot done. 

If any of you who are here in Seattle are interested in going to the show this Saturday, let me know and I will send you the details!

F U T U R E

I hope my life resembles these someday.

Linda captured her family and home so perfectly. Far more interesting and beautiful than the pictures of famous musicians, I think.


Photos by Linda McCartney.

B A C K G R O U N D S

I brought my 13 year-old cousin to an old friend's show last week. It was only the second one I'd been to in many years. It all still feels pretty strange to me at times, I must say.

Sean did a beautiful job with the backdrops. I was completely mesmerized by them the entire evening. There were some that, combined with the music, felt so cinematic. I wish I could project them on the walls of my home at all times. So beautiful!

N E W F A C E, N E W S T U F F

It seems that Seattle's summers don't begin now until September. We've been having the most beautiful weather, and yet now I find myself flipping through catalogs and magazines, getting excited for fall. Although I suppose it's the clothes I'm looking forward to and the changing trees - but certainly not the weather.

I received the Madewell catalog sometime last week. The paper they used is really nice; it feels more like one of those fancy quarterly magazines rather than a cheap catalog that gets tossed in the recycling almost immediately after it comes through the front door. Also, I must say I cannot wait to see what the Alexa Chung collection is like this season. The video currently on their site makes it look pretty promising.

I've been inspired by the new beginnings that Fall seems to bring (and the Madewell girls) to finally do something about my hair and to try anything in order to attain that strong, beautiful brow I tweezed away as a pre-teen. So I made an appointment with "my girl" and told her my goal was to look like an early 1990s Calvin Klein ad (Does that make sense? Can you picture what I mean by that?). So yesterday, she cut four inches off of my long locks and dyed my eyebrows three shades darker than the darkest part of my hair. After that, we discovered those eyebrows I thought my young self's poor beauty choices had annihilated were still there - they were simply hiding behind very blonde hair. I admit I was a bit terrified at first, but after a quick wax I finally had the brows I've always wanted (they look much thicker/darker in person, I think). 

Yesterday I also finally got a new phone, which was a pretty monumental moment for me as I've been using the same piece of crap for three years. It's not an iphone (and maybe that shouldn't be so important, but I really wanted one) but it does just about everything an iphone does and it's a million times more useful and helpful than the junk I had before. Now, I'm just anxiously awaiting the arrival of this bag (in khaki) and this calf hair clutch. 

Fall, I'm in no hurry for you to get here - but I'm getting ready for you!

B A K I N G L A T E L Y

I've been keeping myself very busy in the kitchen lately.

Over the past week I have made raspberry thumbprint cookies, a fig frangipane tart, followed by a mini peach frangipane tart, and now a peach & cardamom pie for a BBQ this evening, which is in the oven right now.

I really do love to bake.

C U T T I N G T H I N G S U P

I was asked not too long ago to hang some pieces at a show later this month, but when I realized I hardly had enough to fill the space, I asked Christine to combine forces with me. She and I have been wanting to collaborate for a while, and this was the perfect opportunity. 

So, I spent most of my Friday afternoon in my apartment with Christine, working on our top secret art project (which is not really top secret, I just don't know what else to call it right now). Although, it's not fair to say that we both were working when really, she did all of the work. I mainly just sat in one spot and drank half a bottle of wine over the course of five hours. I also offered moral support, of course. 

I had some artist's block yesterday, but after a long bus ride this morning, I came up with some ideas. I cannot say how I managed to find any amount of inspiration while on the bus, of all places. I suppose the odd characters and activity make for a perfect reason for mental escape and forces the mind to be creative, I guess? Well, now I can say that I am really excited to put everything together. 

Anyway, I will be sharing our collaborative efforts as soon as they are finished!

S I T K A & S P R U C E

Some snapshots of the incredibly tasty brunch Sarah and I shared at Sitka & Spruce last weekend. She and I both contemplated the menu with furrowed brows for so long - it all sounded so delicious that we couldn't pick. Lucky for us a good friend of mine, Suli, works there, so he made up our minds for us and brought out a few dishes (each a surprise, such a fun way to dine!). I can't remember now what each one was specifically, but they were all so, so good. The fava bean soup with the soft boiled egg on top definitely stood out, and Sarah's rose tea was so pretty.

I'm very tempted to go hang out in there for a couple hours this weekend during Suli's shift. It's such a beautiful space. It would be blissful just to sit and read while nibbling on a scone and sipping an iced americano. 

I've taken many digital photos lately that I just haven't had the time to edit and post... Or perhaps the time has been there but Mad Men has me wrapped around it's finger, so... Anyway. Many more pictures & little stories from the last days of summer (weep) to come.