A N O D E T O H O M E

My last moments at home.

I have been laying awake on my parent's couch for the past few hours. I awoke because I knew I wasn't where I "belong". This couch is not my bed, this place is not my home. I am mourning the loss of my favorite spot, that warm glowing abode that I was so lucky to inhabit for a year of my life.

It's interesting for me to look back, and see how drastically things have changed. I was clicking through old entries, hoping to find connections to the past - little moments in my apartment that I cherished so dearly. I found this entry from last February, and oh - how sad I was! Of course then, a change of scenery seemed to be the answer, but I was merely just depressed from some pretty hard changes several months before. I must say it's encouraging to look back at a time that was so dark and see the progress, the growth and the results. It was not my surroundings that needed changing after all, it was simply an internal change that needed to take place. I just needed time, I needed healing and closure.

Now I can say that I am so happy I stayed put, that I learned how to be alone and that I learned how truly great it is. I had such a difficult time being on my own in the beginning - living all by myself. In fact, as you might recall, I hated it. Granted, it was a very hard time to be alone. But now, how things have changed! I love to be alone and that apartment became my own little piece of heaven. I am so glad I didn't give it up then.

Moving out of my place, after how hard I worked to be happy not only there, but in my own head and heart (little side self-pep talk: for the sake of traveling - which will be amazing and worth it!) is so much more difficult than I anticipated it would be. I've moved out of apartments before, but this place was different for me. I experienced a lot there, I felt a lot there, I grew to love it as though it were a friend - and it was a great friend, as silly as it sounds (every moment spent in there felt like a big hug!). I suppose I'm just realizing that right now seems hard, just as last fall was hard. This is in a different way, but still I am losing something I loved - and it's okay to grieve that for as long as I need to - but it's important to remember that things will switch over soon. Soon things won't look so bad. Soon the east side won't seem so awful (maybe I'm getting ahead of myself by saying that!), soon this new lifestyle won't seem so uncomfortable. Soon I will be boarding a plane to major adventures abroad, and then I will look back on this time with fondness for whatever it is I'm about to learn.

So tomorrow- er, today - I will step into my home for the last time. I will clear out everything that is left and say goodbye for now. I am kind of hoping that when I return from my travels it will be up for rent again and then my good old friend, Apartment 201 and I can pick up right where we left off.


Ps. So much thanks to those friendly faces who came by to my moving sale today. The purchases you made, as well as the encouraging words spoken, will all help to make this transition so much easier. It was wonderful to meet some of my readers. You all are so great!

M O V I N G S A L E S N E A K P E E K # 2

Everything is all set up and ready for the big moving sale tomorrow. My apartment looks more like a shop now than a home. I have so much stuff to get rid of!

FYI: I am pushing the sale back one hour just to give myself a little more time in the morning to wake up and get organized. So I will be open and ready for business at noon, rather than 11:00.

Again, please get in touch if you'd like to come so I can send you my address.

Hope to see your lovely faces tomorrow!

M O V I N G S A L E S N E A K P E E K # 1

Here's a little preview of some of the things I plucked from my closet that will be available at my moving sale this weekend. There's much more (dresses, coats and shoes, oh my!) - and if there are leftovers, I plan to sell them here once I am settled and have a permanent mailing address.

Throughout the week I'll be posting some of the other things I am desperately trying to relieve myself of - i.e. Anthropologie dishes, unique vintage finds, furniture, and other bits & bobs. 

Remember to let me know if you're interested in taking a peek at everything in person. I need to make a guest list, if you will. I want to be sure I am prepared for how many to expect! I might even make some special treats to nibble on while you shop. 

S U M M E R T I M E A F T E R T H O U G H T S

For those of you who already miss those warm summer days, here's a way (superficial though it may be) to keep the glow of the evening sun around even through the cold winter months. That is, while sitting in front of your computer at least.

Thanks Johanna, for sharing this! I downloaded it today and I love it.

M O V I N G O U T

As you all know by now, I will be going on a little adventure next year, which means I have to make some pretty big sacrifices in order to make it happen. One of those big sacrifices is my beloved apartment. At the end of this month - just one week away, I will be moving out, after which I will be in limbo for a little while. First I will be staying with my Gramma, then I will be housesitting for a friend throughout November, and then - gulp - I will be moving in with my parents. This is something I never saw myself doing at the age of 27! Giving up my independence will be an adjustment for sure, but I am lucky to have an amazing mother and father - so that should make things a little bit easier.

My lifestyle from here on out will be so vastly different, and I will miss every little thing about it. However, I know that once I am plucking fruit from a tree in France or preparing breakfast for guests at La Serrania, I will be glad that I gave it all up.

Since I plan to be gone for a while and there is very little room for my things at Marmy & Daddy's, I'll also have to give up a lot of my stuff. So all of next week I will be posting furniture on craigslist, and next weekend I will be hosting a moving sale in my apartment to get rid of all that is left. If you are in the Seattle area and think you might have some interest in my things, please feel free to contact me with questions, and for the location of my apartment.

I may not be leaving for five months, but the journey most certainly begins now!

--------------------------------

Items currently for sale on Craigslist:

Antique Kitchen Table
Antique Pie Cupboard/Bookshelf
Vintage Chair - Sold!
Vintage Coffee Table

L A S E R R A N I A

As my sister and I have been busy organizing our plans for our travels next year, I have found it too easy to become completely lost in the future dreaminess of the endless possibilities we are discovering.  She and I are each doing our fair share of scouring the helpx network for the places we'll be dedicating our time to. First we'll enjoy a few days exploring Madrid, after which we will be spending five weeks working at La Serrania on the island of Mallorca. Here we will tend to the gardens, help in the kitchen and general upkeep of the retreat center. We will also be able to take advantage of the yoga classes, art workshops and general heavenliness of the surroundings. I have a feeling I'm never going to want to leave. That is, until I remember where we are going next - which I will share the details of once that plan is all confirmed.

If the beauty of this place is any indicator of the kind of experience we're going to have on this trip, I think we're going to have the time of our lives. March cannot get here too quickly!


Images courtesy of La Serrania.

W E A R A B L E A R T

Pretty scarves that I would probably rather hang on my wall than around my neck. 

U-Ni-Ty Mountain Print Scarf and Geometric Print Scarf at Totokaelo.

I ' V E B E E N M E A N I N G T O T E L L Y O U

In my mind I have a completely romanticized idea of what it would be like to someday live on the outskirts, surrounded only by nature. I imagine a quiet home, with a garden full of vegetables and fruit trees. Perhaps a few animals, too. A cow and goat for milk, cream and cheese, a few sheep for wool, chickens for eggs, and a dog for snuggles and playing catch. I would bake fresh pies and make bread almost daily. I would make art and take photos, maybe even have my own dark room. My home would still be close enough to the city that I wouldn't fall out of touch with reality, and could still enjoy the hustle and bustle when I wanted to. Of course this all sounds perfectly dreamy, but I also know that I can't really say that this is something I want when I've never tried it before. Which brings me to the big news that I've kept secret for a little while now.

Last week, I bought a one-way ticket to Spain. My sister and I will be leaving New York City together on March 1st, arriving in Madrid the next day. We are going to travel for five to six months through Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Austria - possibly a few other countries as well. In each place we will be working on farms (have you heard of WWOOF?) in exchange for food and shelter, helping with whatever needs tending to. In most places we will help in the gardens, but at one place in particular we will assist the owner of a bed & breakfast in the French Pyrenees with preparing baked goods for the local markets (!). In the South of France, a friend of ours has a cousin who is a chef and runs her own farm, so we will help with farming and hopefully lend our hands in the kitchen, too. In Italy, we may help friends of a friend start up a montessori school. One major highlight of the trip will be our good friend's wedding, which will be at the beginning of July, probably in Austria. Viki, the bride, is from Germany. Her family lives near Munich, so we plan to stay with her mother for a while before to help with wedding preparations and such.

Those are just a few examples of the many opportunities that have popped up for us. There's much more to be be decided still, and many details need to be sorted out - but we definitely have a plan and the will to make it all happen. I couldn't be more excited. Although, I'm having a hard time believing that this is going to be my reality in a few months, only because it all seems too good to be true. I am really looking forward to what will be a completely enriching and educational adventure!


All imagess from the LIFE Photo Archive.

L E M O L O

Dear West Coasties,

You should go see Kendra and Meagan play their sweet tunes. They're embarking out on their first tour, starting in L.A. on the 13th.

lemolomusic.com

W O L C O T T : T A K E M O T O

Two talented ladies I know, Joy and Natasha, recently launched their super sweet and simple line of women's clothing, Wolcott : Takemoto. Tonight they are throwing a launch party at the Manhattan Inn, where you will be able to take a peek at the line in person. I am posting about this with very short notice, so if you're in New York and you'd like to attend, RSVP here as soon as possible so that you can get on the guest list!

S N I P P E T S

Little moments from the past several weeks:

1-2. Christine's hand with shells and critters on her fingers, taken after a long day of work when we were creating pieces for the art show (the image below that one is from the same day). I still find myself feeling nostalgic for that week at times. 3. Tae sipping on something in his backyard, probably after grilling and playing in the sun on one of the last summer evenings. 4. An apple pie I baked one summer afternoon, cooling in the window. I wouldn't mind a piece right now. 5. Pizza last night with the girls. We accidentally doubled up on the glasses of water, there were only four of us and eight of them.

These are just a few from the two rolls I developed today - much (most) of it was garbage. It's always so disappointing when that happens. I suppose I need a little more practice!

M A R G A R E T H O W E L L

When Margaret Howell was featured in the Times Magazine column, Profile in Style a while ago, I saved the pictures from the article and ever since have often clicked through them, escaping into the photographs of her home and imagining myself enveloped in the ease and coziness of it. I love the minimalism of her home and her mid-century furniture flea market finds, combined with the little messes and personal touches here and there, like the old black and white family photographs and the occasional sign of her work - the well-used scissors and fresh pencils. The dried hydrangeas on her bookshelf remind me of my mother. They are her favorite flower - growing up there were always (and still are) big bunches of them around the house. 

This place seems familiar to me, perhaps only because I want it to be. Having a home like Ms. Howell's someday would be a dream. Especially on grey, cool days like the ones we experience so much here in Seattle. A place near the beach, surrounded by tall grass and warmed by a wood burning stove would make each day feel so golden. 

Times Magazine, Profile in Style - Margaret Howell

A N O T H E R M A K E O V E R

Rather than sleep, which is really what I should be doing, I got wrapped up in giving Marmunia a little tender loving care. Here are two new header designs, created from this photograph I took at Doe Bay. I've also designed a new layout, so for those of you subscribed by RSS, take a peek.

I think I like it! What do you think?

Also, I've been wondering -- is there anything I could be doing to make this a better, happier, more interesting place? Perhaps more of something, less of another? In the coming months I will have more time to focus on this blog, and I'd like it to be the best it can be. Your feedback and ideas are very valuable to me, so please be honest and share your thoughts.

I have so much to tell you guys! I hinted at some of it earlier. I have a good friend's wedding to help prepare for this weekend, so I am going to be keeping pretty busy - but I promise I will spill the beans sometime very soon.

E U R O P E B O U N D

Hypothetically speaking, if I were traveling to Europe for five months next year, say from March through July, these are some of the things I would have on my dream packing list.

I guess I have some things to tell you...

Stuff from various sources; A.P.C., La Garconne, Madewell, Steven Alan and Whillas and Gunn.